Quest for Life
by Novum-Semita
Summary: The second fanfiction in the Adventurous Romance trilogy. It's been a year since the events of Bloody Sunrise and Marceline and Princess Bubblegum have made things official between them. It's good to finally get some peace just to enjoy one another's company but will this peace last? When mysterious waves of devastation sweep across Ooo, Ooo's adventurers are once more called upon.
1. Prologue

It had been a year since the Battle of the Sunrise and in the peacetimes that followed the Kingdom was repaired and wounds slowly healed. Celebrations were not an uncommon sight in the weeks that followed and these became more numerous when the Vampire Queen and the Bubblegum Princess announced their betrothal.

_It had been two months after the war was over. Marceline had laid in wait for the princess just outside the main hall where she was hosting a gathering of many different important people, each hailing from different corners of Ooo. The door had opened and all the guests had filed out. Marceline smiled knowingly. Princess Bubblegum was always the last to leave the hall and that suited her just fine. The princess left the hall, proverbial nose buried in a stack of papers. Marceline snuck up behind her, grabbing her around the middle and making her squeak in surprise, dropping the papers._

"Hey babe," Marceline murmured, planting a kiss on her neck.

"Marceline, what are you doing?" asked the Princess. She stooped to pick up the scattered papers. Marceline hovered round in front of her, lying on her front a few inches above the ground with her head propped up in her hands.

"Just wondering if you wanted to go out with me tonight?" she said. She picked up one of the papers and held it out to the Princess, "Whaddya say?" The princess took the sheet of paper from Marceline. She looked over at the hovering vampire with a small smile on her face.

"Alright," she said, "Where did you have in mind? A club perhaps or one of your wild nights out on the town?" Marceline laughed.

"No, nothing like that," she replied, "Far more special." The princess was now genuinely curious. She gathered together the remainder of the papers and stood up, setting them on the table in the hallway. Marceline took this as her signal and took hold of the young woman's hand, tugging her along playfully towards the door. The princess followed her out of the palace. To her slight surprise they made a beeline for the southern wall of the kingdom. Marceline turned to face her.

"Ready for a little flight?" she asked mischievously. Princess Bubblegum nodded, stepping forwards and putting her arms around Marceline's neck. She lifted the Princess in her arms before flying up over the kingdom walls. The moon had risen and hung above the landscape, making everything shine with a silvery glow. Princess Bubblegum looked down at the land below. It was a beautiful sight. Silver flowers poked out from the shadows cast by the candyfloss trees whose cottony leaves were also a shining silver. The river Engon ran swiftly below them, its water turned to quicksilver in the moonlight. Marceline came in to land next to a wooden fence. She got up onto the stile and turned to the princess, offering her, her hand and helping her up. Princess Bubblegum gazed into the vampire's deep red eyes, smiling with her eyes half closed. Marceline led her through the tall grass beyond, a lush fragrance rising up from wherever they stepped. That fragrance bore a special new meaning for them forever after for one breath of it would transport them back to that magical night.

They reached the top of the slope where a gnarled old tree stood. Its leaves rustled in the faint breeze which ruffled the two monarchs' hair. Marceline took out her penknife and, with Bonnibel's help, carved their initials into the rough bark, encircled by a heart. The princess began to ask the Vampire Queen why she had brought her here but Marceline pressed her finger to her lips, smiling at the bubblegum princess. She was concealing something behind her back. Princess Bubblegum gasped in delight as Marceline sank down on one knee, bringing out the small velvet box from behind her back. She opened it and there, nestled in the satin, was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. The gold was twisted into the shape of a rainicorn and where the horn would be sparkled a diamond.

"Bonnibel, ever since the day we met, my life has known no sorrow, only joy, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" she asked. She looked hopefully up at the young woman. Tears pricking the corners of her eyes, Princess Bubblegum nodded.

"Yes, Marceline, I will," she smiled. Marceline smiled back, sliding the ring onto the Princess' ring finger. As she got up Princess Bubblegum threw her arms around her, nearly knocking her to the ground. Marceline held her and kissed her lovingly, not wanting the moment to end.

Princess Bubblegum smiled, remembering that wonderful night as she gazed at the ring that sparkled on her finger. The following day she had showed it to Lady as they prepared to fly to Finn and Jake's house.

_"어디 보자__," said Lady, smiling at the young woman. Princess Bubblegum nodded and held out her hand so Lady could see the ring that glittered there._

"그것은_," she cried, "축하__, 여동생 아름답다__."_

"Thanks, Lady," replied Princess Bubblegum, "We'd better go tell the boys." She climbed onto Lady's back and they soared out through the window and across the plains towards the treefort.

"결혼식은 언제 할거야_?" asked Lady._

"We were thinking sometime in the summer," she replied.

"그녀가 어떻게 제시 했는가_?," asked Lady._

"She surprised me after one of the spring gatherings," replied the Princess, "And asked me out on a date. She took me up to the hill overlooking the River Engon, you know, the one with the old apricot tree and there she, she proposed to me. Oh Lady, I felt so happy I thought I might burst."

"나는 공주_, 당신을 위해 정말 행복 해요__," smiled Lady._

One night, as the princess lay in Marceline's arms on the sofa, they heard the sound of hurried footsteps in the hallway. At first they paid no attention. Princess Bubblegum nestled in closer, burying her face in Marceline's neck, letting out a contented sigh. Marceline smiled, stroking the princess' hair. The hurried footsteps started up again, this time running back down the hallway.

"I wonder what's going on," Princess Bubblegum murmured drowsily.

"Dunno babe," replied Marceline sleepily. She tucked herself down further into the cosy warmth of the sofa, holding the Princess close. She didn't want to move, she was comfortable. The fire cast a warm glow on their faces and they drowsed peacefully.

This peace was too good to last for they heard the footsteps once more and this time the door opened. Peppermint Butler stood in the doorway, looking worried.

"Princess, a band of vampires are making their way towards the castle," he cried. They were both wide awake immediately.

"How far?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"About two leagues away," replied Peppermint Butler, "And approaching fast. They're riding some sort of winged shadow."

"A wraith gryphon?" asked Marceline.

"I really don't know, your majesty," replied Peppermint Butler.

"Peppermint, drop the majesty bit," chuckled Marceline, "You know I don't do titles."

"Yes, well, that's hardly the point right now, is it?" replied Peppermint Butler, looking flustered.

"Alright, alright," said Marceline, waving her hand dismissively, "We'd better go see what they want."

They made their way out to the gatehouse where they stood on the parapet, watching the vampire's approach. They were flying blue banners, a symbol of peace.

"Don't let your guard down, Bonnie," warned Marceline.  
"Believe me, I won't," replied Princess Bubblegum.

The vampires landed in front of the main gates, their steeds pawing the ground and snorting, releasing puffs of smoke.

"What's your business here?" Marceline shouted down to them.

"We came to speak with your majesties," one of them called back up.

"And what would that be about?" asked Marceline.

"Your suspicion is justified, your majesties, but you have no need to fear us. We are not of the Coven of Sun Reachers. They," spat the vampire, "Are a disgrace to our people. We come in peace. News of your wedding has reached even as far north as our domain and we would be honoured if we could witness the union of two great kingdoms in friendship and alliance. We only wish for an eternal peace to exist between us and we would swear allegiance to you both." Marceline turned to face Princess Bubblegum.

"What do you think?" she asked. The princess thought for a moment.

"I think...I think we can trust them," she said at length, "What do you think?"

"I think so too," replied Marceline, "They would have attacked by now if they weren't trustworthy."

"You are most welcome," Princess Bubblegum called down to them.

"We thank your majesties," replied the vampire, "We wish you good fortune and happiness on the special day. We will depart now for sunrise fast approaches."

"We wish you a safe journey," Princess Bubblegum called after them. She turned back to face Marceline, "Well, what do you think of that?"

"I suppose I should have expected it really," she replied.

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Marceline.

"Well," said Marceline as they left the gatehouse," Hard to believe it may be at times, but I'm royalty too." It was true. With Marceline's carefree attitude and lack of a crown it was easy to forget that she too was in charge of a kingdom. "So when we get married our two kingdoms will unite as well," she continued.

"Of course," replied Princess Bubblegum, "I totally forgot." Marceline chuckled.

"That's not like you, Princess," she said teasingly, "You feeling alright?"


	2. The Royal Wedding

The blossoms of spring faded and were quickly replaced by the summer blooms. The air was heavy with the scent of candyfloss and the days gradually lengthened.

Princess Bubblegum stood on a stool in front of a full length mirror. A chocolate tart knelt on the ground next to her, three pins held in her teeth as she worked with needle and thread. The dress was a beautiful sight. It was white with lace made from crystallised sugar. The skirt was decorated with strawberries and the bodice was patterned with drops of jelly. The veil too was made of crystallised sugar and fell over her face and she clasped a bouquet of lily of the valley and hydrangea to her chest. She felt slightly nervous as did the vampire queen who was pacing the air in the next room.

"Oh, do sit still, your majesty," said the dressmaker who had given up on fixing up Marceline's robes for now. She was wearing a deep purple robe with a black and white fur trimming over a black surcoat with white puffy sleeves. As was customary she had an ornamental sword belted at her hip. She also wore a pair of dark grey, almost black trousers and a pair of knee high black boots. A golden crown embedded with rubies adorned her head. The vampire ignored the dressmaker and continued pacing. "Why do weddings have to be so stressful?" she muttered to herself. She was not used to all the trappings of duty, having run things in a rather casual way before.

"That's the way of weddings, your majesty," said the dressmaker, "Now will you please let me finish your robes?" Marceline nodded and sat back down on the stool.

"Dude, this bowtie itches like heck," complained Finn, scratching at his neck.

"It's a special occasion," replied Jake, "And special occasions call for special clothes, even if they are itchy."

"You both look very smart," smiled BMO who was wearing a small tuxedo Lady had made for him.

"And what about me?" asked LSP who was wearing a white dress with blue bows.

"You look great too, LSP," replied Finn.

"Yeah, I'm glad the Princess and Marceline are finally getting married," continued LSP, "We've only been waiting like forever."

"I'm glad too," replied Finn. It had been quite a surprise for him when the Princess and Marceline told them they were dating but he was happy all the same. Happy that they had found the same happiness he had found when he met Flame Princess. 'Speaking of Flame Princess, where is she?' he thought to himself. As if to answer his thoughts he heard a cheery greeting behind him and turned to see Flame Princess, looking radiant in a red dress decorated with rubies. She had her hair plaited down her back in a fiery rope. "So, what do you think?" she asked, twirling around. Her skirt billowed out, flickering with live flames.

"You look amazing, FP," said Finn, "Allow me to escort you to your seat." Flame Princess giggled.

"Finn, the wedding's not for another hour," she replied, "But why don't you escort me to the snack table?"

"I hear ya, Princess," grinned Finn.

"Hey, don't be too long," Jake called after them. He turned back to BMO.

"Did Lady say when she was getting here?" asked BMO.

"She should be here soon," replied Jake, "Trust me, she is not about to miss this."

"This is truly a wonderful occasion," grinned BMO, "Jake, did you think Princess Bubblegum would fall for Marceline?"

"I have to admit, yes, it didn't exactly surprise me when they told us," replied Jake, "Do you remember that day we went to take back our stuff from the Door Lord?"

"How could I forget," said BMO.

"Well, I first started wondering when Marceline started singing that song," continued Jake.

"You mean, 'I'm Just Your Problem,'?" replied BMO.

"Well, yes that, but also that little bit she sung before," said Jake, "Sounded very much like a love song to me from where I was standing."

"That's true," replied BMO, "I guess I never really thought about it before."  
Fifteen minutes later Lady arrived, wearing a long lilac dress and a sky blue ribbon in her mane. She was Princess Bubblegum's maid of honour while Finn had been chosen to be best man.

"Have you seen the bride and, errr... bride yet?" asked Jake. Lady shook her head.

"아니, 여동생과 마르 셀린 모두 오히려 긴장 느끼고있다," she replied, "나는 그들을 전혀 보지 못했어요. 나는 그들이 아직 준비 같아요."

"I can't blame them," said Jake, "It must take a lot of confidence to get up in front of everyone like this. This is not just a wedding, is it? It's an inauguration ceremony too, isn't it?" Lady nodded.

"맞아요," she replied.

As evening fell the rest of the guests started to arrive. Amongst them was a group of vampires, all garbed in military robes with swords belted at their hips.

"What are they doing here?" growled Finn. LSP quickly ducked behind Flame Princess.

"핀을 진정," said Lady hurriedly, "그들은 초대되었다. 그들은 썬 리치의 집회의하지 않습니다. 그들은 마르 셀린 같다."

"She says not to worry," Jake translated, "They aren't the vampires we fought in the war. They were a group of mercenaries. These are the top ranking members of the Dark Domain Military." Lady nodded.

"Hey, we'd better get a seat," said BMO. They made their way down to the seats which were placed out in the castle gardens. It was to be an outdoor ceremony and a carpet led down to the altar in between the rows of chairs. Decorative candy canes stood on either side, garlands of pink and purple flowers coiled around them. Torches on poles provided a soft light and the first stars were starting to glow in the sky.

Princess Bubblegum and Marceline walked down towards the congregation.

"You nervous?" asked Marceline.

"Just a little," replied Princess Bubblegum. She smiled, "You look really handsome, Mar-Mar."

"And you look beautiful, Bonnie," murmured Marceline, "So, how does this work again?" Princess Bubblegum could tell Marceline was nervous despite her best attempts to hide it.

"You walk up the aisle first with your dad, then I'll follow with Lady," whispered Princess Bubblegum. Hunson was standing at the back of the aisle. He turned and smiled at his daughter. On this day she had made him proud to be her father. The other guests gave the Lord of Evil a wide berth which was understandable given his rather eventful last visit to Ooo. Marceline reached him and the Princess waited as the demon and his daughter made their way up the aisle.

"I'm so proud of you, Marceline," said Hunson as they walked up the aisle, "You're finally taking proper responsibility for your kingdom."

"Yeah, don't rub it in, dad," mumbled Marceline. She hid a small smile from her dad though at these words, "I'm really glad today's happening though. If anyone had told me five hundred years ago that I was going to marry the Princess of the Candy Kingdom, I don't think I would've believed them." Hunson chuckled.

"Really, neither would I," he admitted, "But I think you made the right choice."

"Thanks, dad," replied Marceline, smiling. They reached the altar where the pastor stood.

Princess Bubblegum walked down the aisle accompanied by Lady Rainicorn.

"당신은 아름다운 여동생을 찾습니다," said Lady, smiling at the young woman.

"Thanks Lady," she replied, "You look great too. Glob, I'm so nervous." Lady nodded understandingly.

"당신 야, 걱정하지 마십시오," she said.

"You're right, Lady, thanks," replied Princess Bubblegum. She could hardly believe that she was going to get married and the thought made little bubbles of happiness stir within her. They reached the altar.

"We are gathered here today, on this happy and joyous occasion, to join this vampire and this candy person in holy matrimony," said the pastor, "Marriage is a solemn institution to be held in honour by all, it is the cornerstone of the family and of the community. It requires of those who undertake it a complete and unreserved giving of one's self. It is not to be entered into lightly, as marriage is a sincere and mutual commitment to love one another. This commitment symbolizes the intimate sharing of two lives and still enhances the individuality of each of you." Princess Bubblegum glanced over at Marceline and smiled. Marceline smiled back.

"Marceline Sanguis Abadeer, do you take Bonnibel Dulcis Bubblegum to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honour and keep her in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to her as long as you both shall live?" said the pastor, looking at Marceline.

Marceline swallowed nervously. "I do," she said.  
The pastor turned to the Princess. "Bonnibel Dulcis Bubblegum, do you take Marceline Sanguis Abadeer to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honour and keep her in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to her as long as you both shall live?" he said.

"I do," said Princess Bubblegum, smiling. Marceline took the ring and placed it on Princess Bubblegum's finger and Princess Bubblegum did the same to Marceline.

"You may now kiss the bride," said the pastor. Marceline turned to Princess Bubblegum and lifted the veil over her head. Princess Bubblegum smiled as she put her arms around Marceline. They kissed lovingly beneath the moonlit sky and the congregation clapped and cheered.

"And upon this day two great kingdoms shall also join," said the Pastor as they turned to face the congregation, hand-in-hand, "The Vampire Kingdom in the Dark Domain and the Candy Kingdom in Ooo. May both kingdoms continue to prosper." A group of candy people dressed in military uniform stepped forward. "On behalf of the Candy Kingdom we swear allegiance to the United Kingdoms," they said, bending down on one knee and raising their swords to the sky.

"And on behalf of the Vampire Kingdom we swear allegiance to the United Kingdoms," added the vampires, bending down on one knee and raising their swords.

"And we will rule justly and fairly, always on the side of our people," said Marceline, unsheathing her sword and raising it above her head. The congregation cheered. Princess Bubblegum tossed her bouquet into the crowd. Jake stretched up and caught it, presenting it to Lady Rainicorn who blushed, giggling. "I think it's clear whose wedding we'll be attending next," said Marceline. Princess Bubblegum nodded with a smile.

After the ceremony they made their way over to the area around the lemonade fountain. Here a dance floor had been laid out along with several long tables groaning with food. Princess Bubblegum and Marceline took a seat at one of the long tables in between Lady Rainicorn and Finn. Finn got up, taking out a small sheet of paper.

"It's not every day you get to see two of your best friends finding the best sort of happiness in life and it couldn't have happened to two nicer people," he began, "PB, Marcy, I'm truly glad to call you both my friends and I wish you all the happiness and hard rocking adventure that life has to offer. I'm still rather new to the idea of being best man but I'm really glad and I feel honoured that you chose me. Thank you." He sat down and they all clapped. It astounded both the Princess and the Vampire Queen how much Finn had grown up, even in the last year.

Next it was Lady's turn and she made a speech in Korean that Jake translated. She wished them both well and asked them to take good care of each other and that she already knew they would. She spoke of how she had known the princess since she was a child and Princess Bubblegum blushed heavily at some of the stories she told from her childhood. Marceline put her arm around Princess Bubblegum who smiled, leaning her head on Marceline's shoulder.

The first course was served up and they all began eating. There was much chatter amongst the tables. Finn was telling adventure stories while LSP gossiped in a loud voice. Ice King and his penguins had taken up almost an entire table. Gunter was sitting on the table, happily stuffing his face with fish. Jake and Lady were curled up together at one of the tables, enjoying one another's company.

After the dishes were cleared away it was time for the first dance. Marceline led Princess Bubblegum onto the dance floor, a smile on her face and a loving look in her eyes. The music started up slow as they twirled around the dance floor. Princess Bubblegum rested her head on Marceline's chest and Marceline gazed at her princess. She like how those words sounded, her princess, hers and hers alone. The first song ended and another, faster tune started. One by one the guests overcame their shyness and joined the two monarchs on the dance floor. Gunter was breakdancing in the centre of the dance floor while several others, including the Ice King, cheered. Finn and Jake were performing dance moves every bit as unique as their personalities while BMO did the robot.

The celebrations went on late into the night until it was time for everyone to say their goodbyes before making their way home.

"Hey babe," said Marceline, taking the Princess' hand, "It's a little late. What do you say we head up to bed?" Princess Bubblegum blushed a little at this, catching the vampire's suggestion. She kissed Marceline affectionately.

"After you," she said.

**Author's Note:** When I made up Princess Bubblegum and Marceline's middle names I used latin words for sweet and blood respectively. I adore latin and I think it makes for some great names.


	3. The Butterflies' Disappearance

Princess Bubblegum yawned sleepily, burying her face in the lavender pillow beneath her head. There was movement from the other side of the bed as her companion stirred into wakefulness. She felt a cool arm around her waist as Marceline drew her closer, pressing against her back with a contented sigh. Her fingers drifted through the princess' messy hair. The princess let out a murmur of contentment in response.

"Morning, Bonnie," whispered Marceline.

"Morning, Mar-Mar," replied Bonnibel. She turned around in the circle of Marceline's arms, wrapping her arms around the vampire's neck. Marceline looked over the Princess' head at the clock on the bedside table. "You're up early," she observed.

"Mmm," mumbled Bonnibel, "Couldn't sleep anymore. Hey, whaddya wanna do today?"

"Dunno," replied Marceline, "Wanna grab some breakfast? I could make us a fry up?" The princess chuckled.

"Little early in the morning, isn't it?" she asked. Now was Marceline's turn to laugh.

"Certainly not," she replied, "It's never too early for a fry up. It's a great way to start the day. Come on, I'll make us some potato bread as well."

"Bread made from potatoes?" said Bonnibel, raising an eyebrow questioningly, "Sounds a little unusual."

"It's not like a loaf of bread," replied Marceline, "Uggh, just let me show you, ok?"

"Hmmm...ok," said Bonnibel impishly. They got up and dressed before padding down to the kitchens. As usual Edith Carambar was there, preparing some rhubarb crumbles for tonight's dessert.

"Morning, your majesties," she said cheerily.

"Morning Edith," replied the princess.

"Morning," added Marceline. She floated over to the cupboard where the pots and pans were kept. She pulled out a saucepan and grabbed a few potatoes from the potato sack. She hovered by the sink, washing and peeling them.

"Do you need a hand with anything?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"Do you think you could fry up some eggs?" replied Marceline, gesturing to the egg basket. The princess nodded and fetched a frying pan and some eggs from their places in the kitchen. She set the pan on the stove and added some oil to it. The oil sizzled in the pan as she cracked the eggs into it. As she did this Marceline was bringing the potatoes to the boil. She looked up as she heard a startled squeak. She turned around to see Princess Bubblegum holding the pan with a look of fright on her face. Flames were leaping up from the pan.

"How did you even-," began Marceline, "Princess, put it back on the stove!" She noticed the flames were perilously close to the Princess' pink hair. She hurried over to the Princess and took the pan from her, setting it back down on the stove on an unlit hob. She put a fire blanket over it which extinguished the flames before turning to the Princess.

"Are you ok?" she asked. The princess nodded. Marceline noticed she was gripping her left hand with her other hand. "Did you burn yourself?" she asked.

"Yeah," replied Princess Bubblegum, "I'll go put it under some cold water for a bit." She crossed the room to the sink where she turned on the tap, putting the burnt digits under the cold water. Marceline turned around as she heard a bubbling sound. The saucepan with the potatoes in it was boiling over. She lifted off the lid of the saucepan and turned down the heat. The bubbling quickly died down and she resumed cooking. She drained the potatoes before allowing them to dry out before mashing them. In the meantime Princess Bubblegum returned to the frying pan and made another tentative attempt at frying the eggs.

Marceline stirred flour, salt and melted butter into the mashed potato until dough started to form. She placed it on a floury board and began kneading it. Princess Bubblegum watched her work as she ladled the slightly burnt eggs onto some plates.

"What else do you want?" asked Marceline over her shoulder.

"Mmm, some bacon please," replied Princess Bubblegum. Once she had finished kneading the dough she flattened it out and cut it into four pieces before cooking on a skillet.

"Can I trust you to watch the potato bread while I fry the bacon?" she asked teasingly. Princess Bubblegum pouted. "Of course," she replied tartly. She stood next to the skillet, eager to prove she could be trusted with a cooking utensil. Marceline chuckled at her indignation as she got out some bacon and began frying it up.

"I think the potato bread is ready," said Princess Bubblegum. Marceline glided over to her and looked at the sizzling bread.

"Yup, and I've got the bacon ready," she smiled. They served up the breakfast and carried it out into the dining room.

"Mmm, this is delicious," said Princess Bubblegum, "I had no idea you could cook." Marceline chuckled. "We all have our little surprises," she replied with a wink. "Hey Princess," she added.

"Yeah?" replied Princess Bubblegum.

"Now that we're married, where are we going to live? My place or yours?" she asked.

"Well, where do you feel happiest?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"I don't mind all that much," replied Marceline, spearing a bit of bacon with her fork, "I would miss my old house, there's no doubt about that but I've lived in so many places over the years that wherever I'm happy is home to me. And, I'm happy here, Princess except for..."

"Except for what?" asked the Princess.

"It's kinda...pink," replied Marceline. The princess laughed.

"Is that all?" she asked, "Well, why don't we do a bit of redecorating?"

"What? The whole castle?" replied Marceline in surprise.

"Certainly not," said Princess Bubblegum, "Just little bits here and there. A bit of black liquorice would look very nice, don't you think?" Marceline smiled.

"Yeah, tasty too," she grinned. Princess Bubblegum smiled, glad that that decision had been easier than she'd expected. She had wondered what it would've been like to live with Marceline in her house in the cave.

"Besides," continued Marceline, "There's nothing to stop us turning my house into a sort of holiday home, is there?"

"Yeah, that's true," replied the Princess, "When things get too much for us we can always escape there."

"Sounds good to me," smiled Marceline.

* * *

"Woohoo! C'mon Jake," called Finn, "I'll race you to the Fields of Petalouda."

"You're on," Jake called back, morphing into a cheetah. He raced past Finn.

"Hey, that's cheating," cried Finn.

"That's the way it goes," Jake called over his shoulder, "Catch up or give up." He chuckled as he continued running. He didn't spot the tree ahead of him until it was too late. "Whoa," he cried, trying to stop. He ploughed headlong into the tree with a disgruntled, 'Oomph.' He sat back, waiting for the flashing stars to fade from his eyes.

"Cheaters never win," Finn called as he raced past, making for the Fields of Petalouda. The Fields of Petalouda were famous for the swarms of enchanted butterflies that inhabited it. The sun poured down on the lush grasses that made up the fields but something wasn't right.

"Hey man, where are the butterflies?" asked Jake. Finn shrugged his shoulders.

"Beats me," he replied, "That's a shame. I was hoping to get some of their scales to enchant my sword."

"Hey, look at this," said Jake, holding something out to Finn. He examined it more closely. It was a pair of butterfly wings. They were withered and faded in colour.

"That's weird," said Finn. He looked around, soon spotting more wings in the same state as the ones Jake had found

"Something's not right here," muttered Jake, "Maybe we should go see Peebles and Marcy."

"Nah, we can handle this," replied Finn, "They're probably planning their honeymoon or something."

"Yeah, why not," said Jake, "Where should we start looking?"

"We could try asking round the nearby villages," suggested Finn. Jake nodded and they set off in search of any information they could find on the butterflies' sudden disappearance.


	4. Withered Flowers

"Hey look, there's the Cube Village," said Finn, pointing to the cube shaped buildings in the distance, "Maybe they'll know something about the butterflies."

"I hope so," replied Jake, looking pensive.

"Something the matter, dude?" asked Finn. Jake shook his head.

"Nah, just thinking," he replied.

"Oh, what about?" asked Finn.

"I just...I don't know," replied Jake, "No, forget about it. It's nothing."

"Ok, man," said Finn. He made a mental note to broach the subject later.

"Ok, I've got a bad feeling about all this," Jake burst out suddenly. Finn scrapped the mental note.

"About the butterflies?" replied Finn. Jake nodded, "How come? There was probably just a cold winter or something." Jake hesitated for a moment.

"Yeah, maybe your right," he conceded, "I'm probably over thinking it."

They walked into the village. Everything within the village from the clouds above to the ground below was formed into cubes. Even the inhabitants looked like blocks of various shapes and sizes. It put them in mind of a mining game they sometimes played on BMO.

"Hey," said Finn, walking over to one of the cube people, "Do you think you can help us?"

"If I can," replied the cube person.

"Have you heard anything about the butterflies from the Fields of Petalouda?" asked Finn.

"You mean how they disappeared?" replied the cube person. Finn nodded. "It happened a few weeks ago," continued the cube person, looking nervous, "All of a sudden. This huge shadow descended on the fields and, I don't really know how else to describe it but the butterflies, they just withered. Just withered away to nothing."

"A cold winter?" Jake said to Finn, raising his eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" questioned the cube person in confusion.

"No, no, my bro here thought maybe a cold winter made the butterflies vanish," explained Jake, "This sounds bad. Maybe we _should_ talk to PB and Marcy."

"No, man," replied Finn, "We can totally handle this."

"But we don't even know what we're up against or whether it will happen again," protested Jake, "Or where it will happen."

"Okay, if we don't find anything in a week we'll go ask them," replied Finn, "How does that sound?"

"Hmm...alright," conceded Jake, "Let's go ask around more villages then."

"Right," replied Finn.

* * *

"Babe, you've been working way too hard," said Marceline matter-of-factly as she hovered behind Princess Bubblegum in the laboratory, "Why don't we go out tonight?"

"But I've got so much work to do," protested Princess Bubblegum, gesturing to several beakers standing on the desk alongside a stack of papers covered in the Princess' untidy scrawl, "These papers have to be in by the end of the week and I've got two experiments to write up notes for; observations, method, evaluation, not to mention variables and statistics."

"Yeah, yeah, real important stuff," replied Marceline, rolling her eyes at the pink monarch, "One night's break is not going to hurt. Besides, it'll do you good, you'll feel a lot better for it." Princess Bubblegum looked at the papers. The sheer number seemed to knock the stuffing right out of her. She sighed.

"Maybe you're right," she conceded, taking off her glasses, "Where do you want to go?" Marceline smiled. Mission accomplished.

"What about up to our special tree?" she asked. Princess Bubblegum smiled, a warm fuzzy feeling stirring within her at these words. She nodded. Marceline took that as her signal to lift the Princess up bridal style and fly out the window with her.

"How come you never use doors?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"Correction, Bonnie, I use doors, but only when there are no windows available," corrected Marceline, "I prefer the direct route."

"You can say that again," teased Bonnibel, poking Marceline's chin playfully.

"I've definitely got a bad influence on you, my princess," chuckled Marceline.

"But it's an influence I willingly follow, my queen," grinned Bonnibel, putting her arms around Marceline's neck.

"That's something I've been wondering about, Bonnie," mused Marceline.

"Oh, what?" asked Bonnibel.

"How come you're still a Princess? I mean, you, we, rule over two kingdoms now," replied Marceline.

"Well, if I was Queen Bubblegum Finn and Jake would have to start calling me QB. That would make me sound very square, wouldn't it?" chuckled Bonnibel. Marceline laughed.

"That's true," she smiled, "I never thought of it that way. And Queebles. Sounds like a little fuzzy creature to me." They continued laughing and joking as they came in to land next to the tree. Princess Bubblegum could just make out their initials carved into the trunk. She smiled, memories of that wonderful night coming back to her once more.

She wound her arms around Marceline's neck, drawing the vampire closer as she planted a kiss on pale lips. Marceline grinned into the kiss. She was impatient as always as Princess Bubblegum felt her slithery serpentine tongue graze her bottom lip. She ignored it, her eyes smiling at the vampire. They sank down into the grass, their kisses growing steadily more passionate until Marceline's tongue asked Bonnie's lips for entrance once more. The princess gave in, parting her lips and letting Marceline's tongue battle with her own. Marceline moaned softly, her hand sliding down Bonnie's side. The princess gasped, pulling the vampire closer.

Marceline gave a startled outcry as she was pushed onto her back. "Why don't you let me lead for a change?" grinned Bonnibel, kneeling over the vampire. She hesitated.

"Marceline, are you hungry or something?" she asked. Marceline looked up at the Princess who had her pinned, a puzzled look on her face.

"Huh?" she said. Princess Bubblegum moved her hand to the side of Marceline's head, to stroke her hair or so Marceline thought. She picked one of the flowers and showed it to Marceline.

"I didn't do that," replied Marceline, looking at the flower. It had turned grey and the petals were wilting. One of the petals drifted down onto her face. It felt like paper, dry and rustling and when she made to lift it off it crumbled to dust in her hand.

They got up and looked around. How had they failed to notice it before? Most of the other flowers were in the same condition. "There's no scent," murmured Marceline.

"What?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"There's no scent," Marceline repeated, "None at all." Princess Bubblegum sniffed at one of the flowers and saw that Marceline was right. The once heady aroma was no longer present. She looked up.

"Marceline!" she cried, grabbing Marceline's shirt, "The tree. It's dying too." She was right. The bark looked like it was crumbling in places and the leaves were all a dull grey.

"What could it mean?" asked Marceline.

"Perhaps a disease of some sort," replied Princess Bubblegum thoughtfully. Marceline noticed the tears in her eyes.

"What's the matter, Bon?" asked Marceline.

"Why did it have to be our tree," sobbed the Princess, resting her head against Marceline's chest. Marceline put her arms around the smaller monarch, resting her chin on her hair.

"I know," she soothed, "It's terrible. I'm afraid these things just happen sometimes, Bon." Princess Bubblegum nodded tearfully as she stepped back.

"I'll take back a sample back to the lab for testing." She picked several of the withered flowers and a few grey leaves from the trees boughs. They broke off easily in her fingers. Worry twisted in her gut as they flew back to the palace.

"Find anything?" asked Marceline as the Princess stood, peering into a microscope. Princess Bubblegum stepped back and regarded the vampire.

"If it is a disease, it isn't one I've ever seen before," she replied, "We can rule out blotching and callousleaf disease right away. The markings aren't there. As for the more subtle diseases, I'll need to run some more tests first."

"How long will that take?" asked Marceline.

"As long as it takes really," replied Princess Bubblegum, "There's quite a bit to test for. And I don't have all the testing solutions at the ready. I might have to ask you to go out and gather some ingredients."

"I'll help in any way I can, Bon," said Marceline.

"We'll have to ask around the neighbouring kingdoms to see if they've had any recent occurrences," continued Princess Bubblegum.

"We'll set out tomorrow then?" replied Marceline.

"Agreed," replied Princess Bubblegum.


	5. Asking Around

"Are you ready to go yet?" Marceline called over her shoulder. She was hovering by the balcony, resting her hands on the railings.

"Almost," the Princess called back. She appeared a few moments later carrying a map. Marceline helped her up onto her back. She looped her arms around the vampire's neck as they set off.

"Where to first?" asked Marceline, shouting over the wind.

"The Ice Kingdom's probably the closest," replied the Princess, studying the map, "Then we'll go from there to the Mountain Kingdom."

"Right, gotcha," said Marceline.

The candy floss forests gradually gave way to trees covered in snow, their boughs weighed down by the weight of it. From there the ground grew more hilly and the trees receded until at last they came to the mountains. The Ice King's kingdom was situated in the tallest mountain. They came in to land on the icy ledge. Princess Bubblegum shivered, pulling her coat tighter about herself in a vain attempt to keep out the cold. "H-how do you stand it, M-mar-Mar?" she asked, her teeth chattering wildly.

"Undead, remember," replied Marceline, "I'm always a little cold." They walked into the tunnel. Somewhere the sound of penguins could be heard. It sounded like they were fighting over something. Suddenly a penguin came running down the tunnel at top speed. He was making a cacophony of irritated sounding squawks.

"WENK!" he yelled as he dashed between Princess Bubblegum's legs. A moment later Ice King came flying after him.

"Gunter, get back here!" he yelled.

"WENK!" Gunter yelled back, holding onto the Princess' boot.

"Sorry girls, he's been throwing a tantrum all morning," explained the Ice King, "It's time for his bath."

"WENK!" Gunter yelled indignantly.

"Gunter, come to daddy," coaxed Ice King. Gunter backed away. "Why you little," he grumbled, "GOTCHA!" he cried as he grabbed Gunter as he made to dash off again. He put the struggling penguin under his arm.

"And what brings you lovely ladies here?" he asked.

"We came to ask if you've seen anything strange," explained Princess Bubblegum.

"I'm getting a strong feeling of déjà vous here," replied the Ice King. It was true. This was not the first time they'd come to him for information on strange happenings.

"This time maybe I can help you though," he continued, "When I was out gathering ice berries the other day I did see something strange. There was a trail where all the berry bushes had been completely destroyed. There was nothing left but a few decayed branches. I knew it wasn't my wizard eyes playing tricks on me this time. I could smell it too. It smelt awful, like mould and mildew. Why the sudden interest?"

"Something similar happened near the river Engon," explained Marceline.

"I'll keep my ear to the ground and if I hear of anything I'll let you know," said the Ice King, "I really have to go and give Gunter his bath. You sure you can't stick around for a bit?"

"No, we've got to go ask around the other kingdoms," replied Marceline, "Thanks for helping though."

"Yeah, thanks," added Princess Bubblegum. They left the Ice Kingdom and soared off in a westerly direction.

"Well, this tells us something, doesn't it?" said Princess Bubblegum, "The destruction had a clear boundary between destroyed and not destroyed. Disease couldn't do that, could it?" Marceline shook her head.

"And whatever it is, it's pretty hardy," she replied, "If it can survive the subzero temperatures of the Ice Kingdom."

"But what is it?" asked the Princess in frustration.

"Believe me, if I knew, I'd tell you," replied Marceline.

By midafternoon they had reached the Mountain Kingdom. The mountains there were so tall that their peaks were obscured by thick cottony clouds and just looking up at them would make the onlooker dizzy. They landed outside the kingdom gates. The kingdom itself consisted of high stone walls and towering turrets. Two guards stood outside carrying spears. They both resembled bits of terrain like all the other inhabitants of the kingdom. One had a tuft of grass sprouting out of the top of his hair and a bush around his shoulders. His skin looked like it was made of gravel and his eyes were two orange pools of magma. The other guard had a moustache made of wheat and had a large rock growing out of his back.

"Princess Bubblegum," said the first guard in surprise, "And Queen Marceline. What brings you to our kingdom at such short notice?"

"We need to talk to King Solum and Queen Terra," replied Princess Bubblegum, "It's urgent."

"Very well, follow me," said the guard. He turned on his heel and banged on the gate with his spear. There was a heavy sound of grinding and straining as the wooden doors slowly opened. They followed the guard inside.

"What is this urgent business, may I ask?" asked the guard as they walked along the cobblestoned streets towards the palace.

"There have been a couple of strange occurrences. Dead trees and plants," replied Princess Bubblegum, "And a swathe of devastation cut into the ground in the Ice Kingdom." The guard frowned.

"Then our majesties should be able to give you more information," he said grimly.

"Has something like that happened here then?" asked Marceline.

"Yes, it has," replied the guard, "I'll let the king and queen tell you all the details though." He led them into the palace and down a corridor to the throne room. King Solum, a tall mountain man with a bushy green beard and a crown made from sharply pointed stones, and Queen Terra, a short plump mountain woman with hair made of heather and wearing a flowery dress, sat on their thrones.

"Princess Bubblegum and Queen Marceline," announced the guard before stepping back a few paces.

"Welcome to our fair kingdom," said King Solum, "May I ask what brings you here at such short notice?"

"Your majesty, we have come to seek information," replied Princess Bubblegum.

"Is this about the devastation by any chance?" asked the King, frowning beneath his beard. Princess Bubblegum and Marceline nodded. The King took a deep breath before relaying his information. "Several swathes were cut into the ground not more than three miles from the kingdom. It didn't seem to matter how steep the land got, the swathe continued. We didn't see what made it or how it made it but we will be sending out some scouting parties to try and discern its identity."

"So, you think it's a beast of some sort?" questioned Marceline.

"We think so, but we can't be sure," replied the King, "It could also be a vengeful wizard. At this point it could be anything. The only other information we have is a strange smell that carries on the wind sometimes."

"Let me guess, decay, mould and mildew," replied Marceline.  
"Yes, that's right," said the King hesitantly.

"The same thing happened in the Ice Kingdom," continued Marceline, "We've been travelling around the kingdoms to see if we can find more evidence."

"Have you found anything out?" asked the King eagerly. Marceline shook her head.  
"Only what we've mentioned so far," she replied.

"If you find anything else out, send us word if you can," said the King. Princess Bubblegum and Marceline nodded. "We will," they said.

* * *

"Do you think we'll make it to the Fire Kingdom and back by nightfall?" asked Princess Bubblegum as they flew away from the mountains.

"Doubtful," replied Marceline, "It'll be at least midnight before we make it back."

As the sky became tinged with orange and rosy pink they saw the glow of the Fire Kingdom on the horizon.

They landed on the blackened earth, a cloud of ash erupting around Marceline's feet as she touched down. The crackle of flames could be heard everywhere and hear and there fire sprouted up from beneath the basalt like fiery wavering plants. Lava lakes dotted the landscape and ahead of them towered a palace made up of many volcanoes held together in a cluster. Two guards stood outside the main gates. They were terrifying entities made of solidified lava which resembled black armour with a vein of magma running across their torsos. Their heads were crested with seven lit spikes which resembled torches. They carried a long staff with a large flame at its tip.

"State your business here," said one of them, red eyes glowing like burning cinders in the smoggy red half-light. His voice sounded like bubbling magma and it gurgled in his throat.

"We'd like to see the King," said Princess Bubblegum, shakily. She felt a little threatened by the Flame Guards menacing manner, the way he brandished the flame staff in her direction. A bead of sweat ran down the side of her face as the flame hovered near her face.

"The king's not seeing anyone," rumbled the guard.

"But we have to see him," protested Marceline, "We travelled a long way to ask him about the swathes of devastation reported in two different parts of Ooo."

"What happens outside the Fire Kingdom is not our concern," replied the guard, brandishing the flame torch in her direction. Marceline took one pace back.

"You have no business here," snarled the other guard, raising his own weapon, "Leave now."

"Hey, leave them alone," a voice called down from above. It was Flame Princess. She was standing at one of the windows in the gatehouse.

"But princess, they-," protested the first guard but Flame Princess cut him off.

"They are guests. Let them in," she commanded. The flame guard muttered something under his breath before standing aside to let them through.

Flame Princess hurried down the stairs to the ground floor.

"PB, Marcy, what brings you all the way out here?" she asked, "This isn't exactly the safest place for you to visit after all."

"We came to ask your father about something," explained Marceline, "But perhaps you can help us."

"Sure, fire away," replied Flame Princess.

"Have you heard anything about swathes of devastation being cut into the land near here?" asked Princess Bubblegum. Flame Princess shook her head.

"Princess, this land is already riddled with devastation; any new devastation would go totally unnoticed," she replied, "Finn mentioned something though, something about the butterflies in the Fields of Petalouda."

"Did he happen to say what about them?" asked Princess Bubblegum. Flame Princess nodded.

"He said they disappeared, leaving behind only their wings," she replied, "Has this been happening elsewhere?"

"Yes, all the plant life in the field up near the River Engon has been withered away and a swathe of devastation was cut into the ground in the Ice and Mountain Kingdoms," said Marceline.

"This sounds bad," replied Flame Princess, "I'll help any way I can."

"Thanks FP," said Marceline, "We'll get a message to you if anything else happens."

"And I thought we were going to get some peace for a change," replied Flame Princess.

"Life may be many things," smiled Marceline, "But it's never dull."

"That's true," replied Flame Princess, "Safe journey home." They waved goodbye to Flame Princess as they set off in the direction of the Candy Kingdom.

* * *

As Marceline predicted it was just past midnight by the time they reached the Candy Kingdom. She could feel Princess Bubblegum nodding off on her back. She opened the balcony door and glided through into the bedroom.

"Come on, sleepyhead," she murmured as she ladled the Princess into bed, pulling the covers up around her. Feeling too tired to change into her night things she sprawled out on the bed next to the sleeping candy princess, hooking an arm around her waist and nuzzling her face into her neck. 'We'd better talk to Finn and Jake tomorrow,' she thought to herself. She yawned, nestling closer to her princess as she drifted off to sleep.


	6. Searching and Researching

"PB, Marcy, you wanted to see us?" said Finn as the Princess and the Vampire Queen greeted them at the main gate.

"Yes, we did," replied Princess Bubblegum, "We need your help."

"Well, you know we'll help any way we can," smiled Finn, "What seems to be the problem? Hug wolves? Or maybe giant electric snakes?"

"No, nothing like that," replied Princess Bubblegum, "Plants across Ooo have been found to be withering away and there have been reports of swathes of devastation cut into the earth."

"We also need to know more about the butterfly wings you found," added Marceline.

"How did you guys find out about the butterflies?" asked Finn.

"Flame Princess told us," explained Princess Bubblegum, "You wouldn't happen to have one of the wings, would you?" Finn shook his head.

"We did but it crumbled to dust after we got back to the Tree Fort," he replied.

"Just like the flowers and leaves near the river," muttered Marceline.

"We were coming to see you about it at the end of the week anyway," said Jake, "We've spent the last five days asking around and searching and we haven't found much."

"What did you find out?" asked Marceline.

"Only that a dark shadow descended on the fields when the butterflies disappeared," replied Jake.

"Well, that's something we didn't know," replied Princess Bubblegum.

"So, whatever it is, it travels in shadows, withers plants and leaves a trail of devastation in its wake," said Marceline thoughtfully.

"Have you ever heard of anything like that before, Marce?" asked Finn. Marceline paused, deep in thought, her eyes narrowed as she cast her mind back over the countless years.

"Maybe," she said at length, "It seems familiar somehow but I can't remember how."

"We'll send out some search parties in the meantime to see what we're up against," continued Princess Bubblegum.

"We'll go with them," said Finn immediately.

"Alright, just be careful," replied Princess Bubblegum, "It could be dangerous."

"Princess, we laugh in the face of danger on a regular basis," laughed Finn, "We'll be fine."

* * *

That afternoon Princess Bubblegum and Marceline called together a meeting in the square.

"What's this all about?" asked a jelly doughnut.

Princess Bubblegum explained about the recent strange happenings. A buzz of chatter erupted at this.

"What's to be done then?" asked a chocolate brownie.

"We'll need four groups of volunteers to form into search parties to search the surrounding area," replied Princess Bubblegum.

"I'll go then," said Mr. Cupcake immediately.

"And me," added a candy cane. One by one they followed Mr. Cupcake and the candy cane onto the dais where the Princess and Marceline sorted them into four groups. Each group was instructed to search in the direction of the four points on the compass. Ever since the battle of the Sunrise the candy people had become more willing to help. The exploits of the Candy Resistance were partially responsible for this as well as the rewarding feeling that came with saving their kingdom from certain destruction. They no longer took their homes, their peace, their very existence for granted anymore.

After the search parties had dispersed for their briefing at the main gate Princess Bubblegum and Marceline made their way back into the palace.

"So, what are we going to do in the meantime?" asked Marceline as she floated alongside the princess.

"We're going to go look in the library for anything we can find, any similar happenings in the past," replied the Princess. Marceline groaned at this.

"Do you have any better suggestions?" the Princess asked pointedly as she walked on ahead. Marceline hesitated for a few moments before following her.

The library was massive. Bookshelves stretched up to the ceiling, lined with all manner of books. Many were bound in leather with delicate gold trimming around the edges while others were dusty old scrolls, faded by the years and stored with great care in wooden caskets. Long mahogany tables spanned much of the room, lit by gold lamps with moss green lampshades.

Princess Bubblegum crossed the room to a bookshelf labelled Geography and took down a book entitled, 'Dangerous Beasts and How to Spot Them.' She pulled her glasses out of her pocket as she sat down at the table. Marceline floated over to the bookshelves and took down a book on natural disasters. She hovered next to the Princess with the book propped up on her lap as she began to leaf through the pages. After a short while she started to get bored. She put the book back amongst the other volumes before looking for something to do. She'd never set foot in the library before so she decided to take a look around.

Princess Bubblegum sighed. The book she'd chosen didn't mention anything about plant life suddenly dying or strange shadows. She put the book back on the shelf before choosing another.

"Bonnie," came Marceline's voice from across the room. Princess Bubblegum put the book down on the table before crossing the room to where Marceline was floating. She was hovering in front of the fireplace but her attention was fixed on a painting above the fireplace. A candle was lit on either side of the painting. The painting itself depicted a woman with pinkish mauve hair, green eyes and a kindly face. She was wearing a long pink gown and she had her hands folded in her lap. One hand held a cream coloured fan and there was a blue shawl draped over her arms.

"Yeah, Marce?" asked Princess Bubblegum as she reached Marceline's side. Marceline pointed up at the painting.

"Who's that?" she asked curiously, "She looks a bit like you." Princess Bubblegum smiled, albeit a little sadly. Marceline noticed the slight tremor in her voice as she replied.

"She's...my mother," she replied. The Vampire Queen reached for the Princess' hand and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.

"She looks like a very kind woman," she said. Princess Bubblegum nodded.

"She was," she replied, "Her name was Nessabel."

"What was she like?" asked Marceline, eager to know more about who would have been her mother-in-law.

"I'm afraid I don't remember her," replied Princess Bubblegum, "She died shortly after I was born."

"I-I'm sorry," said Marceline hesitantly, pulling the bubblegum princess into a gentle embrace. Princess Bubblegum rested her head on Marceline's shoulder.

"It's alright," she murmured, her voice muffled by the Vampire Queen's hair. She drew back and smiled reassuringly at Marceline. The Vampire Queen looked back up at the painting. Something below the painting caught her eye, a vase of sunflowers.

"What's with the sunflowers?" she asked.

"Dad said they were mum's favourite flowers," replied Princess Bubblegum, "That's why we have a whole garden full of them in the courtyard."

"I wish I could've met her," said Marceline wistfully, "Do you think she would've liked me?"

"I'm sure she would've," smiled Princess Bubblegum, putting her arm around the vampire's shoulders as they looked up at the benignly smiling portrait.

* * *

As evening began to fall they made their way back to the royal bedchambers. Princess Bubblegum flopped down unceremoniously onto the bed, rubbing her tired eyes. Marceline hovered next to her as she took off her boots and dropped them onto the wooden floor with a thud. Princess Bubblegum slipped the pyjama top over her head for falling back against the pillow with a sigh of relief.

"Tired?" asked Marceline as she propped herself up on her elbows. Princess Bubblegum scrubbed a hand over her face with a yawn.

"Just a little," she replied. Marceline floated up next to her and Princess Bubblegum settled into the vampire's embrace, nestling her head in under Marceline's chin. She felt her cool breath on her hair. Despite being dead, breathing was still a habit for Marceline. It was a habit she couldn't quite shake off. Princess Bubblegum loved the sensation on her hair. It was like a cool autumn breeze blowing in through the window. She found herself wondering how she had ever managed to sleep alone before. She smiled, reaching up and running her fingers through Marceline's hair, plunging her hands deep into the midnight tresses. She felt safe like this, like nothing could harm her. Marceline opened one deep red eye and smiled, drawing the pink woman closer.


	7. Grim Findings

It was two weeks before they heard anything. Princess Bubblegum was out in the sunflower garden, taking care of the beloved flowers while Marceline sat in the shade, strumming a few chords on her axe bass. Things seemed to have settled into a relative calm with no new reports coming in.

"She could stand by the flowers, standing there for hours," sang Marceline, "Sweet pink hair blowing in the breeze, beautiful face, calm and at ease." Princess Bubblegum smiled as she continued water the sunflowers.

"That's beautiful, Mar-Mar," she murmured, knowing the Vampire Queen's ears would catch her softly spoken words.

"I thought you might like it," smiled Marceline, strumming another few chords. She looked up as her keen vampire ears picked up on another sound, the sound of a group of weary men, the clink of armour and the sound of gravelly tired-sounding voices. She stood up and looked in the direction of the noise. They didn't have to wait long for the group of men they now recognised as the North Search Party to enter the courtyard. Among them were Finn and Jake.

"Your majesties," said the leader of the party, a heavyset nougat man, "We have returned from our search. We encountered several swathes like the ones you described but no sign of whatever made them." The Princess' shoulders slumped.

* * *

Over the next few days the South and West search parties returned. One reported a shadow about three leagues east of their position but by the time they reached the spot all that was left was a decimated copse and a poisoned river.

"So it's poisoning the water too," said Princess Bubblegum sadly.

"Yes, the water was completely polluted," replied the cookie, "Two of our men fell ill as a result."

"Will they be alright?" asked Princess Bubblegum concernedly.

"They'll live," said the cookie, "The strange thing is, what they fell prey to was Dangaritis."

"Dangaritis?!" gasped Princess Bubblegum, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, the purple growths were unmistakable," replied the cookie.

"But that disease was eradicated years ago," said Princess Bubblegum in disbelief, "How could it return?"

"We don't know," replied the cookie, "But somehow it did." Princess Bubblegum sat down, running her fingers through her pink hair. Surely nothing could make things worse. But she was wrong.

After two weeks the East search party had still not returned.

"We'd better go out and search for them," said Princess Bubblegum, putting on her purple coat and fastening the pink buttons at the neck. Marceline nodded.

"Are you ready?" she asked. The Princess nodded. They crossed the room to the balcony. Marceline put on her sun hat and gloves before opening the door and stepping out into the afternoon air. Princess Bubblegum climbed up onto her back, looping her arms around the Vampire Queen's neck. Marceline hopped up onto the railings before taking off, gliding up into the afternoon sky. She took out her compass and checked the direction before setting off.

The trees below them looked like dandelion clocks as they sped past, following the course of the River Engon downriver. Princess Bubblegum held her binoculars to her eyes, scanning the landscape.

"See anything?" asked Marceline.

"Nothing yet," replied Princess Bubblegum, "Can you fly a bit lower?" Marceline obliged as they flew past the Treefort. Here they left the Engon and flew over the grasslands that surrounded the natural fort. Princess Bubblegum scanned the horizon.

"Something's not right," she said, resting her hand on Marceline's shoulder.

"Mmm, you're right," replied Marceline. She too could sense something amiss in the summer air. It felt like there was a haze around them but neither could see it. Marceline flew higher, trying to escape the strange feeling but it clung to them like a second skin.

"Look, down there," cried Princess Bubblegum. She pointed to an area a few miles ahead of them. She handed the binoculars to Marceline who held them up, looking through them at the area the Princess was pointing to. She gasped. The land ahead was churned up and filled with the same devastation they had seen before. In amongst the debris dead tree limbs stuck up out of the ground like rotting fangs.

Marceline came in to land near the churned up ground. The ground beneath their feet crumbled away easily and the smell of death and decay was everywhere. Princess Bubblegum pulled her coat up around her face as the musty stench hit her like a sledgehammer. Marceline took on her wolf form and the Princess' rested her hand on her shaggy coat. Marceline put her nose to the ground and began nosing around, turning over mounds of earth and decaying leaf litter. It was difficult to pick up on the scent of anything but mould and mildew but there was something else. It didn't smell like anything she had ever smelt before. She raised her head, sniffing the air.

"Smell anything?" asked Princess Bubblegum. Suddenly Marceline raced off across the scarred land, her nose catching the direction of the scent at last.

"Marceline!" cried Princess Bubblegum in exasperation before hurrying after the Vampire Queen, "Marceline, slow down!" Marceline was swift in this form and it took her a while to catch up with her. Marceline stopped dead, lip raised in a low growl at what she saw before her. Princess Bubblegum ran up to her. She cried out as she failed to stop in time and fell over Marceline's wolf form, tumbling down an embankment. She came to a halt at the bottom, hands clutching her head and her eyes squeezed shut.

"Uggh," she groaned, getting up onto her hands and knees. She opened her eyes and screamed. Right in front of her, not more than a few inches away, was a grinning skull. She scrambled back until she felt the slope of the embankment behind her. The ground ahead of her was littered with bones, thighbones, ribcages and skulls like the one she had encountered. She felt an arm wrap around her and she screamed again.

"Relax Bonnie, it's only me," said a familiar voice. The Vampire Queen pulled the Princess up and dusted her down. "Are you alright?" she asked. Princess Bubblegum nodded. "I think we know what became of the search party," Marceline continued grimly.

"What do you think happened to them?" asked Princess Bubblegum, "I mean, what could do that to them?"

"It looks like some sort of curse," replied Marceline.

"Are we dealing with a magical being then?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"Almost certainly," replied Marceline, "Anyway, it's no good hanging around here. Let's go home." Princess Bubblegum got back onto Marceline's back and they flew back towards the palace.


	8. The Treefort's Destruction

Over the next few weeks more changes became evident. It was like a blight had swept throughout the entire land. Farmers' crops were failing and the nymphs and dryads, those most in touch with nature, were beginning to grow weaker. A dark cloud, every bit as draining as the one that devastated the land, had settled over the Candy Kingdom. With no leads taking them anywhere they were beginning to become tetchy and fights were not uncommon in the streets.

* * *

"What's the matter, bro?" asked Finn as he sat on the edge of his bunk. Jake was sitting on his own bunk, staring into space.

"Can't sleep," Jake muttered in response.

"Me neither," admitted Finn. The night was eerily silent. The usual screech of bats coming from the upper reaches of the Treefort and the hoot of owls from outside the window were absent. Not even a solitary cricket could be heard. Without really knowing why Finn had decided to keep his sword by his bed that night. Suddenly the Treefort didn't seem so safe.

Suddenly Jake's ears pricked up and he got to his feet, heading towards the window.

"What is it?" asked Finn.

"Something's out there," muttered Jake. Finn joined him at the window, peering out into the darkness.

"I don't see anything," he said at length, "You sure you're not imagining things?" Jake shook his head.

"No way," he replied, "Something doesn't feel right. I can sense it. It's a dog thing."

Something shifted in the darkness. The air around it was hazy and indistinct as though darkness oozed from it, writing around it like a cluster of wraiths. A low gurgling sound emanated from within it and a stream of bilious purple liquid gushed from its maw. The grass withered at its feet, turning brown before crumbling to dust. Red eyes pierced the darkness as it focused on a large shape silhouetted against the moon. Another low belch rumbled up from deep within it as it set off.

"Dude, you're going to have to sleep sooner or later," said Finn as he lay back, looking up at the ceiling. Jake said nothing but continued staring out of the window. Suddenly he froze. What he saw made every hair on his body stand up on end and his eyes widened in fright.

"Fiiiin," he whined, "Get up, dude."

"What is it?" asked Finn sleepily.

"Something's out there," whispered Jake.

"Jake, not this again, I'm telling you it's your-," began Finn but Jake cut him off.

"I'm not imagining it dude," Jake interjected, "I can see it."

"What?" cried Finn in surprise, grabbing his sword and hurrying towards the window, "I-it's huge."

As they watched the creature seemed to melt, wrapping itself around the trunk of the Treefort. Everywhere it touched a glistening sticky residue clung to the bark, rotting it away to nothing.

"We've got to stop that thing," cried Finn, hurrying down the stairs two at a time. He reached the living room and stopped dead. Tentacle-like appendages were wrapping around the timbers, pulling them apart with grotesque grunting and slurping sounds.

"Forget fighting that thing," yelled Jake from behind Finn, "Let's get out of here!" He grabbed Finn and ran across the room, dodging the broken floorboards and leaping through the doorway. Finn scooped up BMO who had been recharging on the table up until now. "Hey, what is going on?" cried BMO. He caught sight of the monster, "Yikes! What is that?"

"We don't know," cried Jake, "But we're not staying to find out." Finn swung up onto his back as Jake stretched his limbs, running full pelt across the grassland. Finn looked back and watched in horror as, with a rasping of ancient roots and snapping of timber, the Treefort crashed to the ground. The thing was immediately upon it, engulfing it as though eager to drain the remaining life from it. Tears pricked the corners of Finn's eyes.

"Jake, it's gone," he whispered, "Our home is gone. What are we going to do?"

"We'll have to ask PB and Marcy if they can put us up for a bit," replied Jake as he continued onwards at a quick steady pace. Gradually the decimated Treefort faded from sight, swallowed up by darkness as deep as that of the creature that destroyed it.

"Someone's approaching the main gates," said the gatekeeper to the relief guard.

"Who is it? Can you tell?" he replied. The gatekeeper took out his binoculars.

"It's Finn and Jake," he said, "What could they be doing here at this time of night?" He called down to them as they neared the gate. He didn't spot BMO who was hiding in Finn's hat.

"Finn, Jake, what are you doing here so late at night?" he called.

"You've got to let us in," Finn shouted up to them, "That creature, the one that's causing all the devastation, it destroyed our house. We've got to talk to the Princess and Marceline." The gates clanked loudly as they slowly swung open, permitting the two adventurers entry.

Marceline murmured something unintelligible, burying her face in the pillow as she heard footsteps in the corridor. Princess Bubblegum turned over restlessly, shielding her eyes from the slant of light that emanated from the crack in the door.

"Your majesties presence is required in the main hall," said Peppermint Butler.

"Uggh...can't this wait until tomorrow, Pep Butts?" moaned Marceline, pulling the sheets over her head.

"I've told you before not to call me that, you Majesty," Peppermint Butler replied tartly, "And no, it can't. It's Finn and Jake." Marceline was wide awake immediately.

"What's happened to Finn and Jake?" she asked.

"Are they alright?" asked Princess Bubblegum, sounding equally worried.

"They're fine, but I think they should tell you what happened themselves," replied Peppermint Butler. Princess Bubblegum pulled on her dressing gown as she and Marceline followed Peppermint Butler down to the main hall. Finn and Jake were sitting on one of the ornate purple sofas with mugs of hot chocolate in their hands.

"What happened?" asked Princess Bubblegum as she reached them.

"Princess, Marceline, the treefort's destroyed," cried Finn, "That monster destroyed it."

"It's not a wizard," added Jake, "It's a big gigantic monster made of shadows. It just melted into the tree and whoosh," he smacked his fist into his palm, "Destroyed it, just like that."

"Everything's destroyed," said Finn, "Nothing was left standing. Do you think we could crash here?"

"Of course," replied Marceline, "As if we'd say no."

"What kind of monster was it anyway?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"We've never seen anything like it before," replied Jake, "All I know is I never want to see anything like it again."

"I saw it," piped up a voice from Finn's hat. BMO poked his head out from his hiding place. Finn lifted BMO down and set him on the table. "I caught it all on my built in video camera."

"I've got a projector in my lab," offered Princess Bubblegum. She lifted BMO up and she, Marceline, Finn and Jake made for the main staircase that led up to her lab in the Southernmost tower. At last they reached the vast room. Concoctions bubbled away gently in water baths and some sort of strange being floated in a vessel. Princess Bubblegum made her way over to the projector. It was relatively old fashioned but with the use of an adapter they hooked it up to BMO's circuits. They sat down and watched as the footage began playing. BMO's screen rebooted and the first thing he saw was Finn who was holding him as they ran through the Treefort. He turned his screen and they heard his voice loud and clear as he yelled in fright, sensors locking on a horrifying beast framed by the wreckage of the Treefort wall. It opened its gaping maw, roaring as a bilious purple liquid spewed forth. Princess Bubblegum paused the playback. Her face was a mask of shock and horror.

"What is that thing?" she breathed, turning to Marceline, "Have you ever seen anything like it?"

"I have, but I can't remember much about it," she replied, "Only that it's a beast spoken of only in legends. It was supposed to have been sealed away."

"Well, it looks like it's escaped now," said Jake with a shudder.

"Well, there's nothing we can do now," replied Princess Bubblegum, "We'll set out first thing tomorrow. We'll go back to the Treefort and look for clues." Jake nodded.

* * *

The following morning found them flying across the plains towards the place where the Treefort had once stood. It was a terrible sight. The wood had been decayed away to practically nothing and here and there they spotted a piece of furniture, broken and covered in mildew.

"It reeks," said Jake, grimacing as he covered his nose in an effort to blot out the smell.

"It's been completely decayed," observed Marceline, "Just like the ground around the place where we found the remains of the search party."

"Hey, take a look at this," called Princess Bubblegum, waving them over. She pointed to what appeared to be the remains of Finn's mattress. Coating the material was a viscous purple liquid.

"Hey, be careful, Princess," warned Finn, "That stuff destroys everything it touches."

"Shouldn't affect me then," said Marceline.

"Wait, Marceline, don't!" cried the Princess but it was too late. Marceline tore off a scrap of the material and deposited it in a plastic container.

"See," said Marceline, holding up her hand, "Perfectly fine."

"Y-you just got lucky," yelled Princess Bubblegum, her voice quivering with anger, "How can you just be so blasé about it? Glob knows what that could have done to you!"

"Chill, Bon, I knew what I was doing," replied Marceline, "I can't be killed except by a stake to the heart or being out in the sun for too long." The Princess said no more but she continued to look stern as they flew back to the palace.

They took the sample to the lab for testing. Princess Bubblegum placed a slide under the microscope that had been smeared with the strange substance.

"It seems like it's mostly made up of detrious oxide," she said at length.

"Which is what in real language?" asked Marceline.

"A very powerful supernatural poison," replied Princess Bubblegum, taking off her glasses, "It's sometimes known as ruinous essence or Death Spit."

"Death spit?" said Marceline in surprise, "Did you say Death Spit?" The Princess nodded. "That's the same stuff the Demons use to keep the Nightosphere a barren wasteland."

"Could we be dealing with a demon then?" asked Finn. Marceline shook her head.

"I know my dad's morals are in a bit of a grey area but he keeps his people under control," she replied, "No nefarious deeds are committed without his approval. But it does give us even more reason to suspect a supernatural force is at work here. That, coupled with what I know about that monster, definitely points us towards ancient myths and legends. We need to find out what we can."

"And in the meantime we'll go and try to hunt down this monster," said Finn.

"No," said Princess Bubblegum immediately, startling them all with the sharp tone in her voice, "Absolutely not. You saw what that creature did to your house and to those search parties. We've tried sending out raiding parties but the same thing happened to them. We lost some of our best soldiers. We stopped sending out raiding parties after the first number were killed. There's no way you two alone could take down that monster." Finn and Jake nodded wordlessly. "Marceline, we need to go back to the library," continued the Princess.

"Right," replied Marceline. She turned back to Finn and Jake, "Don't worry guys, we've got everything under control. We'll meet up in the main hall this evening to let you know of anything more we can find." Finn nodded.

"Until then," he said.

"Until then," Marceline replied.


	9. In Danger's Path

"Did you find anything?" asked Jake as Princess Bubblegum and Marceline entered the main hall. Princess Bubblegum shook her head. "Not a thing," she replied.

"Not even in the legendary creatures section," added Marceline, "Glob knows how many times I looked through it."

"If only we knew what it was called," said Finn in frustration, "Marce, are you sure you can't remember anything else about it?"

"I'm sorry, Finn, I can't," replied Marceline sympathetically, "It was a long time ago when I heard about it. And it was really only in passing." Finn sighed. "We will find out and we will stop it though," added Marceline, "I promise."

Unbeknownst to them someone was watching them from an alcove near the door to the main corridor. Peppermint Butler watched the discussion with a slight frown.

"Something's got to be done," he muttered to himself as he made his way down the corridor towards the kitchens, "And soon."

* * *

"We've got to do something, Jake," said Finn as he lay on the quilted sheets, looking up at the ceiling.

"Like sleep?" asked Jake.

"No, like stop that thing," replied Finn, a note of annoyance clearly heard in his voice.

"You heard what Peebs and Marcy said," said Jake, sitting up and looking over at the irked adventurer.

"To heck with it, Jake," snapped Finn, "If we hang around much longer what else will be destroyed just like our home. They couldn't find anything. What if there isn't any information on it? We can't keep waiting."

"What do you suggest we do then?" asked Jake. "Hey, wait, what are you doing?" he cried as Finn started packing away his few belongings into his rucksack. Finn put on his hat before turning to Jake.

"We are going to take that monster on," he said grimly.

"But dude, it's the middle of the night," protested Jake, "Can we wait until morning?"

"If we wait until morning we'd have to sneak out past the Princess and Marceline," replied Finn, picking up his sword, "The whole palace is asleep now. Besides, night is when that thing is most likely to be out. Let's go." Jake got up and reluctantly followed Finn out of the room and through the deserted corridors. They reached the main doors and tugged them open. Moonlight spilled over the threshold and a cool early autumn breeze blew in, ruffling Jake's fur. The door slid shut and the two adventurers disappeared into the night.

Princess Bubblegum sighed, turning over restlessly. The sheets rustled and a cool arm wrapped around her waist. She felt cool breath against the back of her neck.

"Can't sleep?" murmured Marceline. Princess Bubblegum shook her head.

"Are we going to be able to stop this monster?" she asked. Her words were spoken as a whisper but Marceline heard every word. She kissed the back of the Princess' neck.

"Of course we will, Bonnie," she murmured.

"How?" asked the Princess. Marceline hesitated. If she was honest with herself she had no idea.

"I don't know," she replied, "But we will. I promise." Princess Bubblegum nodded. A moment later she sat up, getting out of bed. She put on her slippers and began to walk across the room.

"Where are you going?" asked Marceline, sitting up and watching the Princess walk towards the door.

"Just going to get a drink," smiled Princess Bubblegum, "I'll be back in a minute, Mar." She opened the door and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway. She made her way down towards the staircase, her footsteps echoing slightly along the empty corridor. She reached Finn and Jake's room and stopped. The door was ajar. She peeked inside and gasped.

Marceline sat up quickly as she heard hurried footsteps outside the door. A moment later the Princess burst into the room. "What's the matter?" asked Marceline, "You look like you've seen a ghost." The princess shook her head.

"Finn and Jake," she gasped breathlessly, "They're gone."

"Gone? Gone where?" cried Marceline.

"They must have gone after the monster," fretted the Princess, "Marceline, they'll be killed."

"No way," replied Marceline, getting out of bed and gliding over to the dresser. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"We've got to go after them," said the Princess, joining the Vampire Queen at the dresser.

"Not you, Bonnie," Marceline disagreed, "I'll go after them. She pulled on the top and began lacing up her red boots.

"Not alone, you're not," protested the Princess as Marceline flew over to the balcony. The Princess tried to keep a hold of her hand but Marceline shook her head, pulling out of the Princess' grasp. She flew up away from the palace, leaving the Princess standing at the balcony.

"MARCELINE, GET BACK HERE!" yelled the Princess, "MARCELINE!" But the Vampire didn't heed her calls and disappeared from sight. Princess Bubblegum ran out of the room and down the stairs two at a time. "Peppermint," she cried as she ran, "Peppermint!" Peppermint Butler came out from a door a few yards behind the Princess.

"What's the matter, your majesty?" he asked worriedly.

"Finn and Jake have gone after the monster," wailed the Princess, "And now Marceline's gone after them. We need to get them back here before they get hurt or...or." She couldn't bring herself to say the last word. "Saddle up the Morrow," she continued.

"Right away, your Majesty," said Peppermint Butler before hurrying off. Princess Bubblegum hurried after him. They reached the royal aviary where, sitting on the topmost perch with its head under its wing, was the Morrow. Princess Bubblegum called up to it. It screeched in response, fixing her with beady black eyes. She and Peppermint Butler climbed up the ladder to its perch. Peppermint Butler fastened the saddle into place. Normally the Princess would ride the Morrow bareback but this was a rescue mission and would more than likely need some skilful and somewhat dangerous manoeuvres. She climbed up onto the Morrow's back and held on tight as the Morrow spread its massive wings, screeched and soared off its perch, swooping out of the large open window. The wind whistled in her ears as they soared away from the palace.

"That bull-headed Vampire is going to get herself into trouble one of these days," muttered the Princess as she took out her binoculars.

* * *

Marceline soared down over a lake, looking out for any sign of the adventurers.

"Surely they couldn't have got too far," she muttered to herself. She listened out for anything out of the ordinary but all she heard was the screech of bats and the hoot of owls. There was too much wildlife here. The monster had evidently not reached this area. She turned her attention to the mountains. There would be plenty of places for a monster to lurk there. She flew higher, giving herself a good vantage point as she reached the mountains. The air around her was still, a little to still for her liking. Somewhere the howl of a lone wolf's cry reached her ears. Suddenly an idea came to her. She swooped lower, cupping her hands to her mouth and howling. A moment later the wolf howled back. He told her he had spotted two bipedal beings, one of which resembled his own kind but lazier, heading towards the lake surrounded by the tallest peaks. Marceline thanked the wolf before speeding off in the direction of the tallest mountains.

As she neared the lake the wolf had mentioned a smell rose up to her, a smell she recognised all too well as the smell of decay. A gurgling growl rose up from below. It sounded angry. She dove down towards the lake. Before long she saw it. It was a repulsive sight. It's flesh was decayed and glistened moistly in the moonlight. Two red eyes pierced the night and it crawled forth on six legs ending in sharp clawed feet. Two rows of spines ran down its back and a pair of horns curved out from its head. A purple bilious liquid streamed forth as it roared. Then Marceline spotted them. Finn and Jake were darting about, avoiding the purple liquid while aiming sharp blows at the monster's head. It roared savagely, swiping at Finn with a horned tail. He dodged as the tail crashed into the earth where he had been standing only moments before. Marceline dove down.

"What do you two think you're doing?" she shouted to Finn and Jake.

"Marceline!" cried Finn in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I might well ask you the same thing," replied Marceline. She dodged as the creature took another swipe at them. "Let's get out of here," she shouted, "Before you both get killed." Marceline grabbed Finn and Jake and ran with them towards the mountain pass. The monster gave chase. Marceline could smell its fetid breath as it closed in on them. Suddenly, with terrifying agility the beast leapt over them, landing in front of them. The grass beneath its feet shrivelled away to nothing. Marceline skidded, turning sharply to the left and heading down a ravine. The beast dashed after them, cutting a swathe in the dirt. They dodged to left and right, dodging trees and boulders. The beast crashed through them as though they were made of paper.

"Damn, it's a dead end," cried Marceline. She knew she could escape but there was no way she'd abandon Finn and Jake. The beast closed in, jaws slathered with purple ooze. Suddenly something screeched overheard. Marceline looked up to see the Morrow swooping down towards them. "Get on," yelled Princess Bubblegum as she drew level with the ground. Finn and Jake jumped onto the Morrow's back and Marceline sped alongside them as it flapped its wings, climbing back up into the sky. The monster roared in frustration below them as they flew away from the mountains.

"What the Nightosphere did you think you were doing?" Princess Bubblegum shouted angrily, "You both could have been killed." She turned to Marceline. "And you, Marceline," she yelled, "You're not invincible."

"Well, if I hadn't been there they wouldn't have survived long enough for you to come and get them," retorted Marceline. Princess Bubblegum looked away. A silence hung over them as they flew back to the palace.

* * *

"And just what did you think you were going to do when you got there?" yelled Princess Bubblegum.

"Is that even a question? Defend my friends of course," Marceline shot back.

"You can't defend them if you're dead?" shouted Princess Bubblegum.

"I already am dead," snapped Marceline.

"You know what I mean," yelled Princess Bubblegum.

Finn and Jake sat outside, listening to the shouting match going on within the walls.

"Do you think they'll be alright?" asked Jake.

"I hope so," replied Finn, looking worried.

"You just...you rush headlong into things. You never think-," began Princess Bubblegum but Marceline cut her off.

"Never think?" she yelled, "Never think. It's because I think that I went out alone. It wasn't safe and I knew it. I didn't want you to get into danger."

"But Marceline, we're a team, you and I. Whatever happens we shouldn't be apart. And-," hot tears coursed down Princess Bubblegum's cheeks as words failed her, "And..." Marceline looked a little guilty as the Princess began to cry. She glided over to the Princess.

"Bonnie, the reason I don't want you put in any danger is...is because I don't know how long we'll have together," she said quietly, "And I don't want to lose you before I have to. I was just concerned for your safety." Princess Bubblegum looked up at her with teary eyes.

"Mar-Mar," she sobbed, "I don't want to leave you. N-not ever." She hugged Marceline tightly, burying her face in her neck, shoulders shaking uncontrollably, "But please, don't rush into things so much, because I don't want to lose you either. I was concerned for your safety too."

"Ok," she murmured into the Princess' hair, "I won't. I promise."


	10. Death's Library

The wind ruffled Flame Princess' fiery hair as she flew towards the Candy Kingdom. News of the Tree Fort's destruction had reached her in the Fire Kingdom. She urged the phoenix onwards, eager to make sure Finn was alright. She flew over the kingdom walls and alighted in the square. She gained a few startled looks from the onlookers but once they recognised her as the Princess of the Fire Kingdom they returned to their business. She made her way over to the palace where she was greeted by two banana guards.

"I'm here to see Finn," she told them when they asked the reason for her visit. They let her past and one of them escorted her to the main hall where Finn and Jake were playing a game of cards. Princess Bubblegum and Marceline were sitting by the window. Princess Bubblegum rested her head in Marceline's lap as she flicked through yet another book she had taken from the library. Finn looked up from his hand when he heard movement. A grin spread across his face as he spotted Flame Princess. "FP!" he cried, getting up, knocking the cards to the four winds.

"Hey," protested Jake as he tried to gather the cards back together. Finn sprinted across the room and threw his arms around Flame Princess. He stepped back a moment later, his clothes smoking a little and a few burn marks on his arms. "Hehe, guess I forgot," he smiled sheepishly.

"Are you alright?" asked Flame Princess.

"Yeah, you're getting much better at controlling your flames," replied Finn.

"That's not quite what I meant," said Flame Princess, "I heard about what happened at the Tree Fort. Did that monster hurt you?"

"No, no, FP, I'm fine, we managed to get away but, as I'm sure you heard, it was completely destroyed," replied Finn.

"Have you found out anything more about the monster?" asked Flame Princess. Finn shook his head.

"No, nothing," he replied, "PB and Marcy have been looking through books from the library for over a week now but no luck."

"That's because you're not looking in the right place," said a voice behind them.

"Huh?" exclaimed Finn in confusion as he turned to face the Peppermint Candy.

"I said, you aren't looking in the right place," repeated Peppermint Butler. He sighed, "I've been thinking long and hard over this for the past few days. I know one place where you will definitely find all the answers you seek."

"Where, dude?" asked Finn.

"Death's library," replied Peppermint Butler, "Death is all knowing, everything that ever happened, is happening or will ever happen is all recorded in his library. I trust you remember how to get there."

"I remember," said Finn. Princess Bubblegum, Marceline and Flame Princess turned to look at him in surprise. "Finn, what does Peppermint mean?" asked Princess Bubblegum, "Get where?"

"The Land of the Dead," replied Finn, "Peppermint Butler showed us how to get there when we had to get back the soul of your princess plant."

"Wait a minute, how come you never mentioned this before?" asked Marceline.

"Peppermint Butler told us it was a secret," explained Finn, "And we didn't want you to find out about the plant, PB. We thought you might be disappointed after you asked us to take care of it."

"Anyway," said Peppermint Butler before Princess Bubblegum had a chance to reply, "We'd better make haste. The sooner you find out the identity of this monster, the better." He led them down the corridors to the same place he had taken Finn and Jake.

"You remember what to do, Finn?" he asked. Finn nodded.

"Take my hands. Stare into where the two walls meet," said Finn, repeating the instructions Peppermint had once given them. Jake and Flame Princess took his hands, Flame Princess now wearing tin foil gloves. Princess Bubblegum took Marceline and Flame Princess' hands. "Now slowly, cross your eyes," continued Finn. They did as he asked. The walls in front of them slid apart, revealing a swirling red portal. Through it they could see land as grey as storm clouds below a sky as black as a raven's wing where floating islands hovered. They stepped through, waving to Peppermint Butler as the portal closed.

"Do you remember the way to death's lair?" asked Jake.

"I think so," replied Finn, "I know we have to get down to the bottom.

"Not a problem," grinned Jake, "Hop on." Flame Princess and Finn climbed onto Jake's back and Marceline scooped Princess Bubblegum up in her arms. Jake clung to the side of the floating island before stretching his lower half down towards the ground far below them. Princess Bubblegum and Marceline swooped down over the edge, following Jake's body to the ground. They alighted near a mound of earth. Bones protruded from the earth around them and a worn path stretched out before them with a gate at the end of it. All sorts of horrors could be heard screaming, grunting and moaning from the various recesses. "Dude, when the guard spots you, just keep walking," said Jake. They walked towards the gate.

"You two again," grumbled the guard, "And I see you brought some friends. I've told you before you're not allowed in. Not that you'll listen." They ignored the guard as Jake instructed and before long they were on the other side.

"Guys, if you see any walking skeletons give them a wide berth," warned Jake, "They eat flesh." Princess Bubblegum shuddered at the thought. As they reached the mud huts the reanimated skeletons inhabited they slunk into the shadows. One skeleton was sitting outside one of the huts. It looked like he was dozing but it was difficult to tell from his empty eye sockets. They climbed up onto the roof of one of the mud huts, creeping their way along past the skeleton. Finn held his breath, his sword clenched in his teeth. Suddenly a rock came loose under his shoe and scuttered down the side of the hut, landing next to the skeleton. It looked up sharply, grinning as it caught sight of them. "Fleshies," he hissed, "Get out here, everyone. There are fleshies among us." Immediately the ground below was a hive of activity as skeletons hurried out from every recess and doorway. The pointed up at them, talking in excited voices.

"Fighting them is pointless," said Jake, "Let's go!" Finn and Flame Princess climbed back onto Jake's back. He stretched his limbs, rising high above the skeletons. Marceline flew after them with the Princess. Jake kicked a few of the skeletons out of the way as he ran past. One latched onto his leg and bit down savagely. Jake yelped in pain. More skeletons joined the first, climbing up towards Finn and Flame Princess. Finn swung his sword, cleaving the skull of one in half. Its limp skeleton toppled back and out of sight. Flame Princess threw fireballs at two other skeletons, burning them off Jake's legs. Marceline hissed, kicking the last skeleton off.

They continued running, Flame Princess firing warning blasts at the skeletons. At last they started to retreat under the Princess' fire.

"Ha, that's telling 'em," grinned Finn, high fiving Flame Princess, "And there's the castle. It was exactly how he remembered it. There was the castle made of light and the Zen garden that stood in front of it. Running past it was the River of Forgetfulness. Jake stretched his body across while Princess Bubblegum and Marceline flew over it. Death was out in his Zen garden as before, raking the sand into various intricate patterns.

"Back again, you two?" he said in mock surprise, "And I see you brought some company. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"I'm Princess Bubblegum and this is-," began Princess Bubblegum.

"Your wife Marceline," finished Death.

"Wait, how did you know?" asked Princess Bubblegum. Death laughed.

"I'm Death. I know everything that goes on, past, present and future," smiled Death, "Just as I know you're Flame Princess," he turned to face Flame Princess, "And I know why you're here. You're looking for information on the monster that's terrorizing Ooo."

"That's right," said Finn, "Can we check your library?"

"You're welcome to it," replied Death, "No one but me does my job and that monster's ruining my profession, not to mention my reputation. Come, I'll show you the way." He led them into the castle and down a well lit corridor. At last they came to a cavernous room. Every wall was lined with shelves and each shelf contained hundreds of books. Lit lanterns floated around the walls, casting a steady glow on the shelves. "The book you seek is at the end of that corridor," said Death, indicating a corridor that seemed to appear out of nowhere between the shelves, "Do me a favour and put a stop to that monster."

"You can count on us," said Finn. They made their way down the corridor created by the bookshelves. Some of the book's bindings shimmered with light while others seemed to move when they weren't looking directly at them. They reached the end of the corridor that culminated in a small circular room with a high ceiling. A large book sat upon the lectern. In large sweeping letters across the cover were the words, 'Myths and Legends of Ooo." The pages rustled as Princess Bubblegum opened the book, flicking through the pages. She let out a startled gasp as the pages began to turn on their own, flicking through the book with startling speed. When they stopped they looked at the page. There on the page was an illustration.

"That's the monster," cried Finn, pointing to the illustration. There was no mistaking it. There were the six legs, the oozing decayed skin, the savage horns and the piercing red eyes. Princess Bubblegum began reading the paragraph on the opposite page.

_Long ago, when Ooo was in its infancy, a Great Spirit resided there. The Great Spirit was an ancient beast that had power over life and death. It brought new souls into the world and it took them away when their time was up. Its power was virtually limitless and it was worshipped by most as a God. But there were some who coveted the power it possessed. One day a wizard sought out to capture the Great Spirit and use its powers for his own selfish ends. He weaved a spell designed to capture the Spirit but something went wrong. Instead of capturing it, it split the Spirit into two entities. One became the life taker while the other became the life giver. The life taker brought devastation wherever it went, spreading death and disease like wildfire. The life giver, seeing the foul nature of the life taker, imprisoned it within a dimension all its own. The life taker's powers were greatly reduced as a result and the death rate returned to normal. The great life giver found it too exerted too great a force on the planet, increasing the population of all plants and animals by horrifying degrees. The world would become overcrowded if it remained so it departed the world so live in a plane of its own. That plane can only be reached by the core portal. It is located at the centre of the earth. The life giver shall be sought again one day when its powers are needed. Seek the life when all is death, only then shall death be brought back to order._

"How are we going to get there?" asked Jake.

"The crater," replied Marceline, "There's a honeycombed system of caves below it."

"It looks like that's where we're headed then," said Princess Bubblegum with a note of resignation in her voice, "I'll get a message to Lady. We're going to need her help. It will be hot down there, I imagine, better bring a supply of water."

"We'll go home and prepare right away," said Marceline.

"Did you find what you needed?" asked Death. He smiled, "Of course you did. The question was merely rhetorical. I wish you luck on your journey."

"Will we make it then?" asked Flame Princess.

"Sorry, I can't tell anyone their futures," replied Death, "It does things to the mind." His face was unreadable as they departed. He chuckled to himself once they were gone.

"Yes, you have some momentous occasions ahead of you," he smiled, "Tread well, adventurers."


	11. Riddles and Rhymes

After discovering the identity of the horror they faced they returned to the Candy Kingdom. Time meant nothing in the Land of the Dead so their journey took no time at all. They arrived as Peppermint Butler stopped waving.

"Was your journey successful?" he asked.

"Yes, but it's worse than we could have imagined," replied Princess Bubblegum, "The monster is the Life Taker. The only one powerful enough to defeat it is its polar opposite, the life giver. And we've got to journey to the centre of the earth to reach it."

"That sounds dangerous, your majesty," said Peppermint Butler.

"It will be," replied Princess Bubblegum solemnly, "That's why I need you to get a message to Lady. We're going to need all the help we can get."

"Right away, your majesty," said Peppermint Butler before hurrying off.

"Where exactly is the crater?" asked Finn.

"In the Northern Hemisphere," replied Princess Bubblegum.

"You can't really miss it, it's huge," added Marceline.

"Have you been there?" asked Finn.

"Dozens of times," replied Marceline with a nonchalant air.

"What's it like?" asked Flame Princess curiously.

"As Bonnie said, massive," replied Marceline, "And below it is a honeycomb like cave system. It's very easy to get lost in there and it soon gets very hot."

"Sounds like my kind of place," smiled Flame Princess.

Lady arrived that night and they spent the early part of the night making preparations. Princess Bubblegum filled several canteens with water. From Marceline's description and what she knew about the Earth's structure they would need all the water they could carry. Finn sat by the window, sharpening his sword with a small whetstone.

"때 우리는 출발하십니까?" asked Lady.

"Tomorrow morning," replied Jake. He looked up at the clock. "It's getting pretty late everyone," he continued, "Maybe it's time we all hit the hay."

"Maybe you're right," replied Princess Bubblegum, stifling a yawn. They said their goodnights before retiring for the night.

* * *

The following morning found them standing outside the Palace. Princess Bubblegum had exchanged her usual pink attire for a beige jacket, trousers and green shirt and had abandoned her crown in favour of a pith helmet. Marceline commented that it made her look very dashing causing the pink monarch to blush a little. They climbed onto Lady's back after securing the backpacks in place along with the canteens of water. Princess Bubblegum pulled out a map as Lady took off, flying up into the autumn sky. Marceline sat just behind her, holding a compass and between them they navigated their way across the globe. It was a surprisingly short time before they saw the crater on the horizon. It was as though a huge portion of the Earth had been gouged out, leaving its interior exposed for all to see. As they drew nearer they could see the various layers of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock clearly.

Lady came in to land at the top of the crater where Princess Bubblegum took out her binoculars and scanned the depths of the crater. Near the bottom was the entrance to the cave system. Lady swooped down into the crater, landing outside the entrance. The cave ahead was dark and the only light came from the setting sun shining in through the mouth of it, illuminating a few feet into the tunnel.

"Bonnie, I think we've got a problem," said Marceline.

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning to face the vampire Queen who was pointing at the side of the crater. She followed her gaze.

"You're kidding me," she cried in exasperation as she caught sight of what Marceline was pointing at. There was a second entrance to the cave system. "Which one do we choose?" she asked.

"I...don't know, Bon," replied Marceline.

"Hey, wait a minute, guys," said Flame Princess, "Take a look at this." She summoned a fireball on her palm and held it up to the wall. Princess Bubblegum and Marceline joined her at the wall. There, carved into the wall, was an inscription.

"What does it say?" asked Marceline. Princess Bubblegum put on her glasses and squinted at the writing.

"It's written in Latin," she replied, "Just give me a moment. Okay, I think I've got it."

_To seek the door at the centre,  
The right cave you must enter,  
A pentagon of volcanic fire,  
Tells this cave from the liar_

"What's that supposed to mean?" Marceline burst out, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

"Don't you see?" replied Princess Bubblegum, "It's a riddle. The answer's right here. We just need to find it. Think, what's volcanic fire?"

"The fires that break out when the volcano erupts?" said Finn.

"Not exactly," cut in Flame Princess, "It's not the fire itself. What causes those fires?"

"Lava?" said Jake, shrugging his shoulders.

"Exactly," replied Flame Princess. She looked up at the cave entrances, frowning. "I don't see any lava though."

"It probably cooled ages ago," said Marceline, folding her arms, "How are we supposed to find it now?"

"Marceline, stop right there," cried Princess Bubblegum, "You're right on the edge of the answer."

"I am?" replied Marceline in surprise.

"What happens to lava when it cools?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"It becomes rock," replied Marceline.

"Yes, but what kind of rock?" pressed Princess Bubblegum. Marceline thought for a moment.

"Volcanic rock?" she said at length.

"Yes, and more precisely, igneous rock," replied Princess Bubblegum.

"You mean like basalt and pumice?" asked Flame Princess. Princess Bubblegum nodded.

"We're probably looking for five rocks arranged in a pentagon then," murmured Marceline, "FP, you'd know igneous rock when you see it, wouldn't you?"

"Of course," replied Flame Princess. She walked past them to the first of the two caves. She studied it carefully before shaking her head. "Not this one," she said before examining the other entrance. "Bingo," she cried, "Come, have a look at this." The light of the fireball on her palm illuminated five purple rocks that reflected the firelight. It looked strangely like glass.

"Five pieces of rock," said Flame Princess, pointing to the rocks, "Obsidian to be exact. This must be the way in." She stepped inside, lighting the way. The rest followed behind her, keeping the bobbing glow of the fireball in sight. Lady Rainicorn took one last look at the outside world before following the rest of them into the cave.

"Do you suppose it's just going to be a straight path down to the centre?" asked Jake after they had been walking for several minutes. The tunnel they followed was unusually straight and Finn found himself beginning to wonder the same thing.

"봐!" said Lady, pointing down the tunnel.

"Hey, I see it too," added Jake, straining his eyes to get a better look. There ahead of them, was a white beam of light stretching up from floor to ceiling. As they neared it they discovered it to be a strange crystal on a pedestal. It was from this crystal that the light was emanating. Beyond the crystal was a door covered in intricate curving patterns.

"Looks like another puzzle," said Marceline, running a hand over the door's surface.

"아마 크리스탈 함께 할 수있는 뭔가가있다," suggested Lady, looking at the crystal on the pedestal.

"More than likely," said Princess Bubblegum.

"Hey guys, I've found more writing," called Finn. They joined him at a small panel next to the door.

"More Latin," murmured Princess Bubblegum, "When the key won't fit the lock, It means your way is blocked, but some things can be changed, when speculums are rearranged."

"What's a speculum?" asked Jake.

"I don't know," admitted Princess Bubblegum, "Maybe something here will give us a clue."

"The word sounds familiar," mused Marceline.

"What about these?" asked Finn, pointing to a cluster of mirrors in the corner.

"Of course," said Marceline, snapping her fingers and landing on the ground next to the mirrors. "Speculum," she said, "Speculum is an old word for mirror. I found it once when I was reading up on vampires shortly after I was turned. Invisibilis in Speculum. Invisible in a mirror."

"And something changes when these are rearranged," said Flame Princess.

"빛!" cried Lady happily, pointing at the crystal.

"So the crystal must be the key," grinned Finn, picking up one of the mirrors.

Princess Bubblegum crossed the room to the door, running a hand experimentally across the wall next to it. Her fingers collided with something crystalline.

"Hey, FP, can we get some light over here?" she called, "I think I've found something." Flame Princess joined her, illuminating the wall. There, set into a small concavity was another crystal. "We've got to reflect the light into the crystal. This must be the lock," continued Princess Bubblegum.

Marceline took one of the mirrors and flew above the beam of light, holding up the mirror and causing the light to bounce off it across the room. Each of the party took up a mirror and joined in, slowly manoeuvring around the room, trying to control the light. It was a difficult task but after a few minutes they started looking to one another for reassurance. The beam of light slid across the wall and penetrated the surface of the crystal. A loud click echoed through the room. Suddenly the floor beneath them began to shake. Princess Bubblegum held onto Marceline before she could be knocked off her feet. Slowly the doors began to swing open, dust and sand sifting down from the rocks above.

Beyond the doors lay a vast cavern. They gazed in wonder at it. The Candy Kingdom could have fit quite snugly into it. Stalagmites grew up from the floor and stalactites hung from the ceiling. Much of the cavern's surface was covered by a vast lake that reflected a turquoise light cast by some strange luminous crystals on the ceiling.

"Wow," breathed Finn, trying to take in everything at once.

"It's beautiful," murmured Princess Bubblegum. Marceline nodded. The stood like that for several moments.

"I guess we'd better press on," said Jake.

Yeah," replied Finn, "Let's go." He stepped forward, unsheathing his sword as they made their way into the vast cavern.


	12. The Sea Dragon's Lair

"Which way now?" asked Jake. They were standing on the edge of one of the great underground lakes.

"We'll have to cross this lake," said Finn.

"But how?" asked Jake, "It's almost pitch black out there. Those strange crystals up there only give out so much light. We could end up flying around in circles."

"Not if we go there," interjected Marceline, pointing out into the still blackness.

"Where?" asked Jake, "That's just water out there."

"Not quite," replied Marceline, "There's an island roughly in the centre. I can just about make it out."

"Great, we'll go there then," smiled Finn, "Lady, are you ready?"

"나는 핀 항상 준비하고 있습니다," replied Lady. She waited while the others climbed up onto her back before flying out over the lake. The lake's surface was as still as glass and reflected the glow of the fireball hovering above Flame Princess' hand. All around them they could hear the steady drip of water from the great stalactites. It echoed in the cavern, sounding louder and appearing to come from all directions at once.

"There it is," said Marceline, pointing down to the island she had spotted from the shore. Lady alighted near the centre of the island where they looked around. To their dismay not even Marceline's eyes could pick out anything in the surrounding gloom.

"Great," sighed Jake, "There goes that plan." Princess Bubblegum got down off Lady's back. Marceline floated up behind her.

"Any ideas?" she asked. Princess Bubblegum shook her head. She scuffed her boot against the ground. She paused, looking down at the ground.

"What is it?" asked Marceline. Princess Bubblegum knelt down to examine the ground.

"There's something strange about this island," murmured Princess Bubblegum. She ran her fingertips across the ground. It felt slippery and wet which was to be expected but no, it was not this that intrigued the young woman. It was the curious pattern covering the entirety of the island. Overlapping pieces that felt warm and smooth to the touch like-

"Scales," gulped Princess Bubblegum. She stood up quickly, "Marceline, we've got to get out of here now," she blurted out.

"What? Why?" asked Marceline.

A stream of bubbles rose to the surface, churning up the once calm water.

"That's why," replied Princess Bubblegum, pointing at the bubbling water, "This isn't an island." As she said this the "island" beneath them lurched, sending Princess Bubblegum crashing to the ground. Princess Bubblegum scrambled to her feet. She and Marceline dashed back to Lady Rainicorn, climbing up onto her back. "Fly, now!" cried Princess Bubblegum. The scaly mass gave another violent lurch and the water crept up further as it began to submerge.

"Lady, GO!" yelled Princess Bubblegum. Lady launched herself off the scaly mass as it disappeared below the boiling lake. Now with no reference point they flew up towards the ceiling. The lake continued churning as something rose up from the depths. It had cold blue eyes that shone in the darkness and a massive scaly form. Luminescent scales shone around its head, casting a pool of light around it. Bat-like wings unfurled as it opened a gigantic maw, displaying rows of razor sharp teeth.

"A sea dragon," gasped Marceline, "I thought they had all died out."

"Apparently not this one," gulped Jake, "Do you think it eats dogs?" The sea dragon reared up on its hind legs, roaring so loudly they thought it must bring the whole cave in on them. It launched itself into the air, heading straight for them. Lady dodged, flying down towards the lake. She pulled up at the last second, soaring over the lake's surface. The sea dragon flew after them, ragged wing beats echoing around the vast cavern.

"It's getting closer," quavered Flame Princess. It opens its jaws wide, ready to swallow them whole. They could smell its fishy breath as it closed in. At the last second Lady spun around in midair, flying straight up. They heard the snap of teeth behind them as the dragon missed its target. They all clung desperately to the rainicorn's back as she looped around the Sea Dragon before flying back across the lake.

"Look out!" cried Jake as the cavern wall loomed ahead. Lady pulled into a sharp turn, narrowly avoiding the wall before streaking off again.

"What're we going to do?" cried Princess Bubblegum, "We don't know where we're going." Flame Princess looked back.

"Guys, where's the sea dragon?" she asked worriedly. They turned to look. The sea dragon had vanished from sight.

"Maybe it got bored," suggested Finn hopefully. They scanned the lake around them but there was no hint of the glowing head or the scaly back of the gigantic beast. Something stirred in the depths below. Marceline looked around anxiously, tightening her grip on Lady's mane. Suddenly the water beneath them exploded. Lady cried out as she was thrown across the lake. They all clung on for dear life as she rolled over and over in midair.

"The canteens," cried Princess Bubblegum. She watched the metal containers drop into the darkness below. Their disappearance was accompanied by a series of splashes.

"I think the canteens are the least of our worries," cried Jake as the sea dragon came at them again. The chase began again, diving down towards the lake and up towards the ceiling in an effort to evade the massive beast. Flame Princess looked back at the creature. Its head cast light ahead of it like a massive blue torch. Something in the cave wall flashed into sight, just as quickly swallowed up by the darkness as they sped past it.

"Hey," cried Flame Princess, "I saw something. Back there, a tunnel."

"Are you sure it wasn't the one we came through?" asked Marceline.

"I'm sure," replied Flame Princess, "Lady, you've got to lure the monster back the way we came." Lady wheeled around in midair, streaking past the sea dragon. It swerved in midair, doubling back to maintain its pursuit. Marceline used her keen eye sight to peer ahead. As the dragon drew closer she spotted it, illuminated by the scales on the dragon's head.

"There," she cried, pointing to the tunnel. Lady pulled into a steep dive, making for the tunnel.

"It's going to be a close one," observed Finn. They pressed as low as they could to Lady's back. A claw swept past inches away and Lady wavered, plunging through the tunnel. She lost control, tumbling to the ground, her passengers tumbling off from the force of the impact. They heard an almighty crash behind them as the sea dragon crashed into the wall. Several more crashes followed the first as all light was shut out.

"Lady, are you alright?" asked Jake concernedly.

"나는 그렇게 생각한다," replied Lady, getting slowly to her feet. Jake breathed a sigh of relief.

"Everyone ok?" he called.

"Yeah, I think so," replied Princess Bubblegum as she got to her feet, rubbing her head. She helped the Vampire Queen to her feet and began dusting her down in her usual concerned manner whenever Marceline got herself into scrapes.

"Bonnie, I'm alright," smiled Marceline, holding the Princess' hands to her sides, "See? You're such a mother hen sometimes."

"Hmph, well pardon me for being concerned," sniffed Princess Bubblegum. Marceline chuckled. She was used to this. This was a game she was familiar with and had played many times before. She kneaded the Princess' shoulders gently.

"You know I didn't mean it like that, Bon," she smiled, kissing the nape of the Princess' neck. She was rewarded with a smile as the Princess looked over her shoulder at her, raising one eyebrow at the vampire queen.

"Yeah," she said at length, "I know."

Meanwhile Flame Princess and Finn were taking a look around.

"Well, we won't be going back the way we came anyway," observed Finn, "Dragon or no dragon. The tunnel has caved in. Only one way to go now."

They set off down the tunnel, Flame Princess leading the way, casting a pool of light across the shadowy passageway. The tunnel twisted and turned like the inside of a great serpent. Their footsteps echoed and Finn held his sword at the ready in case something should attack. But aside from their footsteps the tunnel was silent. At one point the walls dropped away suddenly on either side as the tunnel became a stone bridge. Below it was a ravine so deep the bottom could not be discerned. Princess Bubblegum looked uneasily at the steep drop before carrying on.

"Blast," cried Flame Princess in annoyance.

"What's the matter?" asked Finn. Flame Princess pointed ahead at a fork in the tunnel. One continued on straight ahead while the other led down to the side.

"Which way should we go then?" he asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," replied Flame Princess.

"Let me take care of this," said Jake confidently, "Dogs have a sixth sense, remember?" He stepped forward, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he regarded the two tunnels.

"That way," he said at length, pointing to the tunnel that led down to the side.

"Are you sure?" asked Finn.

"Positive," smiled Jake. They set off down the tunnel. It was identical to the first part of the tunnel, twisting and turning and featureless. As they went lower the temperature began to climb. Princess Bubblegum wiped a trace of sweat from her brow.

"We'd better stop to rest now," said Finn, setting his rucksack down by the wall. The others nodded in agreement. They had travelled far already and sleep was a must. Lady curled up against the wall with Jake resting against her. Finn and Flame Princess rested their backs against the wall on the opposite side while Princess Bubblegum curled up with her back against the wall, a fluffy navy bat nestled against her neck. Before long the tunnel was filled with soft steady breathing as the adventurers, one by one, drifted off to sleep.


	13. A Wrong Turn

Princess Bubblegum awoke several hours later with a stiff neck. It was hard to tell how long she had slept in this subterranean world. She rubbed at her neck as she sat up, cradling the Vampire Queen in her lap. Marceline smiled in her sleep, nuzzling the Princess' stomach. She opened one eye and looked up at the bubblegum princess.

"You ok?" she asked when she noticed the young woman's discomfort.

"Yeah, neck hurts a bit, that's all," replied Princess Bubblegum. Marceline smiled sympathetically at the Princess as she morphed into her vampire form. She massaged the Princess' neck and shoulders gently while they waited for the others to wake up.

Once the others woke up they set off again. As they went deeper into the depths of the earth the temperature rose more and more. Princess Bubblegum took off her hat and fanned herself with it.

"I hope it doesn't get much hotter than this," she groaned.

"I'm afraid it does," replied Flame Princess. She stopped, "Either that's a very sharp corner or..." she paused, walking ahead of them. Marceline followed her.

"It's a dead end," cried Marceline, "Jake, I thought your sixth sense told you this was the right way."

"Sorry, Marcy, I guess I was confusing it with my stomach growling," apologised Jake. Marceline scrubbed a hand over her face.

"I guess we'd better turn back then," she replied through gritted teeth.  
They started back along the tunnel. By now, all but Flame Princess were starting to show signs of fatigue. The heat seemed to drain their energy with every step they took.

"You okay, Bon?" asked Marceline. Princess Bubblegum looked at the Vampire Queen and nodded. Marceline didn't look convinced.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," replied Princess Bubblegum, "Let's keep going." Marceline turned back to the tunnel ahead.

Princess Bubblegum stopped. Her vision swam before her eyes and her head throbbed.

Marceline stopped dead when she heard a muffled thud behind her. She spun around and gasped. Princess Bubblegum was lying prone on the ground.

"Bonnie," she cried, hurrying over to the Princess' side, "Bonnibel. Wake up!" She shook her shoulders. A low moan escaped the barely conscious princess.

"What's happened to PB?" asked Finn concernedly.

"She's dehydrated," replied Marceline, pinching the pink skin of Bonnibel's arm, noting how it didn't spring back into place, "It's ok, Bon, I've got you." She lifted the Princess up in her arms, "Come on, we've got to find some water."

They advanced along the tunnel, keeping a look out for any sign of water but in these hot conditions the water had been burned away long ago. Marceline kept talking to the Princess to keep her awake.

"When we get out of this you and I are going to have to do some serious relaxing," said Marceline, "I could teach out how to play bass, how does that sound?" Princess Bubblegum smiled, nodding feebly. "And you know, we've got a lot to think about, you and I," continued Marceline, "I don't know how yet, maybe with your science or my unusual powers, maybe someday we could...well...start a family somehow." Princess Bubblegum looked at Marceline in surprise. She'd wanted to ask the Vampire Queen the same thing but two reasons held her back. For one, she didn't know if Marceline would want to start a family, and secondly, she didn't think it possible.

"I didn't know you wanted kids," she murmured. Marceline laughed.

"Well, it would be nice," she replied, "I know I don't exactly come across as the motherly type but...it would be wonderful to have a little son or daughter, someone to teach how to play music or read stories to." Princess Bubblegum smiled.

"I'd like that too," she replied, "Do you think it's possible?"

"Anything's possible," grinned Marceline with a wink.

Jake walked on ahead of the group. He hesitated, tilting his head as he tried to pick up on a faint sound nearby. He moved closer to the wall, listening intently.

"Hey guys, over here," he called.

"What is it, Jake?" asked Finn.

"I think I can hear water," replied Jake, "It's coming from in there." He pointed to the tunnel wall, "I think I can punch my way through. Stand back," he warned. They all took a step back as Jake enlarged his fist before drawing back and slamming it into the wall. There was a crack and a few small rocks came loose. He tried again and a crack appeared. Another punch and the crack grew bigger. Finn watched as a trickle of water started to run down the rock face. Marceline hurried forwards. She cupped her hand under the trickle and let the water pool in her open hand. She brought the handful of water to Princess Bubblegum's lips.

"Here, drink this," she coaxed. The princess gratefully gulped down the water. After repeating this several more times and drinking some of the water herself, Marceline turned to Finn.

"We're going to need a way to carry some of this," she said, "Have you got any containers in your backpack?"

"I think so," replied Finn, rummaging through his backpack. He took out a lunchbox, three jars and a small bucket. He filled each of the containers with water.

"Okay, we've got to make these last," he said matter-of-factly. They each took one last drink from the subterranean stream before setting off again.

"Uggh, I feel terrible, I mean, you having to carry me like this," sighed Princess Bubblegum.

"Don't worry about it, Bon," replied Marceline, "You're not exactly heavy. Besides, in another day or so you'll be fine."

"Thanks, Mar," said Princess Bubblegum, nuzzling Marceline's neck.

At last they reached the fork in the tunnel and took the other route.

"This walking lark is getting boring," complained Jake after a few hours.

"Well, have you got any ideas?" asked Finn. Jake thought for a moment.

"Anyone know of a good story to pass the time?" he asked.

"I know one," said Princess Bubblegum, "It's a story about a young girl who went on an adventure a bit like ours. Except she had to get through a labyrinth. My dad used to tell me this story before I went to sleep."

"Alright, go ahead," replied Finn. Princess Bubblegum began telling the story of a young girl who went on a quest to find an ancient jewel which had the power to stop the monsters that threatened her father's kingdom. She endured many hardships and overcame many obstacles in order to reach the underground temple where the jewel lay hidden. She reached the temple only to find it guarded by a wise old beast with the head and horns of a buffalo, the body of a bear and the tail and legs of a wolf. The beast gave her a riddle and immediately the girl felt afraid. If she did not answer correctly her father's kingdom would fall. She thought about her travels, all she had seen and heard, all that she had learned before giving her answer. Her answer was true and the beast granted her the jewel which she took back to her father and together they saved the kingdom.

"Wow, that's a great story," said Flame Princess.

"It was one of my favourites," replied Princess Bubblegum. Marceline smiled. It was good to see the Princess acting more like her old self.

The tunnel came to an abrupt end, opening out into a vast space. The path on which they walked led them out into the open, a thin walkway above a perilous drop. Princess Bubblegum clung tightly to Marceline as she caught sight of the sheer drop on either side.

Suddenly a rumble echoed throughout the cave. They stopped, bracing themselves as the tremor made the ground beneath their feet quake. At last it subsided and they continued onward.

"I sure hope that's not another monster," muttered Jake. His words echoed throughout the cave, bouncing off the walls and ceiling. Lady nodded in agreement.

"It's probably just tremors," replied Flame Princess, "You get a lot of them underground."  
At last they reached the other side of the walkway where they found another tunnel like the one they had left, leading further down into the depths of the Earth. Here they decided to stop to rest. Finn took out some food he had packed in his backpack and handed out some to each of them except Marcy who took an apple out of her backpack and drained it of its colour. Jake, who had been looking decidedly uneasy all day, cleared his throat.

"About earlier, Marce, PB, I'm sorry about what happened," he said.

"That's alright," replied Princess Bubblegum, "Everyone makes mistakes at some time or another."

"Yeah, but it almost cost you your life," muttered Jake. Princess Bubblegum laughed.

"Jake, I wasn't that close to dying," she replied, "Alright, I was pretty weak but I wasn't knocking on death's door or anything." Jake smiled.

"Marce, do you forgive me?" he asked.

"Of course, dweebo," teased Marceline.

After they had finished eating they began to doze off against the walls.

"Night, Mar-Mar," murmured Princess Bubblegum as she lay nestled in Marceline's arms.

"Night, Bon," Marceline murmured in response, kissing Princess Bubblegum affectionately. Another slight tremor rumbled along the tunnel. Marceline tightened her hold on Princess Bubblegum until the tremor subsided. She lay awake for several minutes, her keen ears trying to pick up on any more vibrations. When they found none she finally gave up the battle to stay awake and fell into a fitful sleep with her chin on the Princess' pink hair.


	14. Bottomless Pits and Lava Monsters

They had now been travelling for several days and each day brought new surprises. At one point the tunnel they followed led them to a wide chasm. Princess Bubblegum felt grateful for Lady's presence as she flew them across. The chasm was so deep it made her dizzy just to look at it.

Another day led them to a steep sided path that led along the side of a cliff. It was barely wide enough for them and they were forced to stand with their backs to the cliff, shimmying along slowly. At one point Jake's foot slipped and for one terrifying moment he thought he was going to fall over the edge. Finn held out his sword and Jake managed to grab onto it before pulling himself back up.

* * *

"Wow, look at that," said Marceline as she walked up the slope ahead. At the top the ground dropped away sharply into a perfectly round pit, "What do you suppose it is?"

"It looks like a vent of some sort," replied Princess Bubblegum, pointing up at the ceiling where a vast hole spanned above the pit, "Wait, Marceline, don't stand so near the edge." Marceline peered down into the pit, the tips of her boots peeking over the edge.

"Whoa, this is cool, you can't even see the bottom," said Marceline. She turned back to the Princess, "Relax Bon, I can fly, remember?" Marceline looked over her shoulder as a rumbling sound echoed deep in the pit.

"What was that?" asked Princess Bubblegum uneasily. Suddenly a blast of air erupted from the pit. "Gaaah!" yelled Marceline, bracing herself against the ground. Her hair whipped up above her head as the updraft became stronger. Princess Bubblegum struggled forwards against the updraft, shielding her face with her arms. Marceline yelled as she started to be pulled upwards as the force of the gust increased. Princess Bubblegum lunged forwards, grabbing the Vampire Queen's hands.

"Guys, don't just stand there," cried Princess Bubblegum over her shoulder, "Help us!" She screamed as she was pulled off her feet, up towards the hole in the ceiling. Suddenly she felt something loop around her ankle. She looked down to see Jake braced against a rock. It was his arm that was now looped around the Princess' ankle.

"Hold on girls," he yelled, "Guys, give me a hand here." The others hurried forward, forming a line behind Jake. They held on tight, pulling the two monarchs out of the updraft.

"Whoa, that wind is way strong," gasped Jake. Suddenly the wind dropped, leaving as quickly as it came. Marceline floated back down away from the pit.

"Well, that was a wild ride," she smiled as Jake retracted his arm, letting it return to its normal length.

"I told you not to go near the edge," scolded Princess Bubblegum, planting her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Bonnie," replied Marceline, "Still alive, aren't we?"

"Yes, but-," began Princess Bubblegum.

"But nothing," replied Marceline, putting a finger to her lips, "Now, let's get going."

As they went deeper, once more the temperature began to climb. Steam rose up from the walls and hung in clouds around the ceiling. They reached the entrance to another, deeper cave. Steam billowed out from small pores in the rocks.

"잠깐, 증기는?" asked Lady, looking up at the steam clouds.

"Yeah," replied Princess Bubblegum, "We must be really near the beginning of the mantle."

"Wait a minute," said Flame Princess, "Isn't the mantle a huge layer of magma? How are we going to get through?"

"The mantle in this part of the Earth hasn't been made entirely out of magma for centuries," explained Princess Bubblegum, "Everything changed after the Great Mushroom War, even the structure of this part of the planet."

"Wow," said Flame Princess as they walked through the cave entrance. The stone within the cave was a deep russet red in colour and here and there lava bubbled down the rocky walls, forming shallow pools in the ground. Jake covered his nose with both hands and ears.

"Yeeuch, what's that stench?" he complained.

"It smells worse than Jake after three cans of beans," commented Finn.

"Hey," protested Jake.

"It must be the gases released by the lava," replied Princess Bubblegum, "Ewww, smells like rotten eggs."

"It smells even worse than the Nightosphere after a hellfire storm," added Marceline, "Let's keep moving." She came to a halt as a screech echoed throughout the caves. Flame Princess looked wildly around the room.

"Something's here," she warned. Finn drew his sword, looking sharply around the room. Another screech, closer than the last one, sounded nearby. Finn turned to face the source of the noise. A light appeared in the tunnel. As it drew closer they saw it for what it was. It looked like an enormous slug made of semi molten rock. It had two clawed arms protruding from the front of its body and beady eyes like glowing coals on stalks on the sides of its head. It screeched savagely, displaying a gaping maw with a circle of razor sharp teeth lining the inside of the mouth. Finn dashed forwards, striking the creature on its rocky hide.

"Die, you molten monster," he yelled, bringing down blow after blow on the creature's head. Jake leapt at the monster, punching it in its fiery gut. The lava monster roared, swiping at Jake and sending him flying.

"Look out, Finn!" cried Princess Bubblegum.

"Huh?" said Finn. He turned to face the monster. It had opened its mouth and a horrific gurgling emanated from its stomach. Lava gushed forth, splashing across Finn's sword. Finn yelled, tossing the sword back and forth between his hands as the hilt became red hot. He dropped the sword and watched in horror as the lava melted away the blade.

"My sword!" he cried, "You're going to pay for that." He lifted up a rock and chucked it at the monster. The monster grunted as the rock struck its head. It shook its head a few times before spewing more lava in Finn's direction.

"Hey wait, I've got an idea," said Princess Bubblegum as she watched Finn chuck rock after rock at the lava monster, "Jake, punch the ceiling."

"Gotcha, Princess," replied Jake. He expanded his fist, punching the cavern ceiling.  
"Finn, get out of the way," cried Princess Bubblegum. Finn leapt back out of the way as Jake punched the ceiling again. He watched as part of the ceiling came loose and tumbled down on the lava monster. He squealed in pain as the rocks tumbled down, burying it deep in the rubble where its cries were finally silenced.

Finn looked in dismay at his sword which lay half buried in the rubble. The blade had been melted away entirely and the hilt was caked with cooling lava.

"Don't worry, Finn," said Flame Princess, resting her hand on his shoulder, "We can get a new sword." Finn nodded wordlessly.

"We'd better keep going before more of those monsters show up," said Marceline. They continued further into the cave system, stepping around any lava flows they came across. Lady flew them over the wider ones. The heat rising off them was incredible.

"I hope we reach the centre soon," said Princess Bubblegum, "We're running pretty low on water."

"나도 그렇게 바랍니다," added Lady, "그것은 여기 용광로의 내부처럼."

"We'd better rest soon," said Finn. A screech sounded somewhere nearby, "On second thought, I could go another few miles, how about you guys?" The others nodded in agreement. The screeches seemed to follow them down the scorching tunnels. At last they faded out of earshot.

"우리는 거기에 안전해야합니다," observed Lady, pointing up at a recess in the wall.

"Good work, Lady, there will be a perfect place to rest," replied Princess Bubblegum. Lady flew up into the hollow closely followed by Jake. They then began to help the others up into the hollow.

"Alright, night everyone," said Finn.

"Dude, is it even night-time?" asked Jake. Finn shrugged his shoulders.

"Who knows," replied Finn, "Time doesn't mean all that much down here, does it?" Jake shook his head.

"Guess not," he conceded, "Anyway, goodnight or whatever time it is." Princess Bubblegum curled up in Marceline's lap, resting her head against Marceline's.

"How much longer, do you think?" she murmured.

"Shouldn't be much longer," replied Marceline, "We're already a lot further down than I've explored."

"What do you think the life giver's dimension will be like?" asked Bonnibel. Marceline thought for a moment.

"Lots of plants, trees," she yawned, "Animals, insects..." Her voice trailed off as the last few nights of poor sleep finally caught up with her.

"Goodnight Mar-Mar," murmured Bonnibel, leaning up and kissing Marceline.

"Goodnight Bonnie," Marceline murmured in response, smiling and pulling the Princess closer and resting her head on her hair. Jake curled up with Lady Rainicorn while Finn and Flame Princess rested against the opposite wall, one by one dozing off within the rocky recess.


	15. Journey to the Centre of Ooo

"Yeah, I wanna go to the beach," mumbled Princess Bubblegum.

"Bonnie."

"That's a lovely bikini, Mar."

"Bonnie, yo, Bonnie, wake up," said Marceline, shaking Princess Bubblegum's shoulders.

"Mmm," mumbled the Princess, opening her eyes sleepily, "Hey, Mar."

"You having dreams about me?" asked Marceline with a wink. Princess Bubblegum blushed.

"Was I talking in my sleep again?" she asked. Marceline nodded, still smiling wickedly. "What did I say?"

"Oh, just that you wanted to go to the beach," replied Marceline, "And that I had a nice bikini." Princess Bubblegum laughed. "Well, you do," she smiled. Now was Marceline's turn to blush.

"You guys ready to go?" asked Finn, making them jump.

"Yeah, we're good to go," replied Marceline.

They climbed out of the rocky recess they'd spent the night in. They continued walking down the long tunnel that stretched ahead of them seemingly endlessly.

"What do you think we'll have to do to get the life giver to help us?" asked Jake.

"He'll probably have some trial or something for us," replied Finn.

"I hope we don't have to fight him," said Princess Bubblegum.

"Nah, I doubt it. He's the life giver," replied Jake, "A dude who gives life. He's bound to be a good guy."

"Let's hope so," murmured Princess Bubblegum. Suddenly they came to a halt, gazing in awe at the sight before them.

"Wow," breathed Finn, staring out at the lava lake before them, "Lady, do you think you can get us across this lava lake?" Lady nodded. They got up onto Lady's back who flew out over the lava. The lava below them bubbled, giving off twists of vapour that made them recoil sharply, trying to avoid the smell. On the far side of the lake they caught sight of an entrance to a tunnel. Finn noted it looked different from the other tunnel entrances they had encountered earlier.

Suddenly Lady screamed, darting off to the left as a tower of lava erupted from the lake. She dodged in and out between the volcanic bombs falling back into the lake, forcing her passengers to cling tighter than ever. Princess Bubblegum shut her eyes as Lady turned over and over in midair, making her stomach turn somersaults. Lady soared up towards the ceiling as a lava geyser erupted in front of her. She raced the lava and managed to clear it before doubling back. Flame Princess saw something gold fall past her line of sight, disappearing into the lava below.

"내 약혼 반지!" wailed Lady, dodging another lava plume before darting towards the tunnel entrance. At last they reached the small ledge before the tunnel. Lady let them get off, looking down at the ground with tears streaming down her face.

"Lady, what's the matter?" asked Princess Bubblegum. Lady bit her lip, fighting back more tears before replying.

"Jake, 나는 나의 약혼 반지를 잃었다," sobbed Lady, "미안 해요!"

"Lady, it's ok," replied Jake, putting his arms around her, "These things happen."

"그러나, 당신은 내게 그 반지를 얻기 위해 너무 많은 통해 갔다," cried Lady.

"I can get you another one, love," replied Jake, "Besides, what matters is that we love each other, right?" Lady nodded tearfully. "It's going to be ok, I promise."

"What happened to Lady?" whispered Flame Princess.

"She lost her engagement ring in the lava," she whispered back, "He had to travel around Ooo for months, playing his viola to make enough money."

"Poor guys," said Flame Princess sympathetically.

"Is she going to be ok?" asked Finn.

"In a while," replied Princess Bubblegum, "She's pretty upset now though." Finn turned his attention to the entrance they were standing in front of. As he had reckoned earlier, it was indeed different to the other entrances. For a start, while the other entrances were rough hewn from the rock around them, the one they now found themselves standing at was cut into a perfect frame with intricate carvings coiling around it. A torch burned with green fire on either side of the tunnel entrance and more green torches lit up the long straight tunnel it opened onto.

"Check this out, guys," said Finn, waving to get their attention. They followed Finn's gaze.

"This has got to be the entrance to the centre of the Earth," said Jake, eyes widening in awe, "It's gotta be."

"It sure looks special," added Marceline, floating up to the doorframe and tracing the intricate patterns with her finger.

"Well, what're we waiting for," said Flame Princess, "Let's go!"

"I wonder what the centre of the Earth looks like," grinned Jake as they ran down the corridor.

"I bet it's really cool," replied Finn.

"It better be after all we went through to get here," added Flame Princess.

Princess Bubblegum and Marceline followed on behind with Lady.

"제이크의 권리, 나는 알고있다. 만큼 우리를 사랑으로 서 것입니다," said Lady, "하지만 난 반지를 잃어버린 그렇게 나쁜 느낌. 그는 나를 위해 그것을 얻기 위해 열심히 일했다.

"Yeah, I know, Lady," replied Princess Bubblegum, "It must be difficult. But Jake's right." Lady nodded.

The tunnel opened out onto a large room. Standing in the centre was a large green orb of light suspended in midair. Geometric shapes spun around it, casting strange shadows on the walls. The rest of the room looked lived in. There was a cauldron hanging over a fireplace and an easy chair in one corner. In another corner stood a bed with red sheets.

"Looks like someone lives here," said Finn.

"That would be me," answered a voice from the far side of the room. The speaker was a tall purple humanoid carrying a spear topped with a small light sphere like the one in the centre of the room. He was garbed in a red tunic fastened with a belt with a large gold buckle and wore sandals on his feet. "Who seeks the Centre of the Earth?"

"That would be us, sir," replied Finn, "And this is Jake, Flame Princess, Lady, Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen. We're here to ask the Life Giver for help."

"You know of the Life Giver?" said the purple humanoid in surprise, "How do you come to know of him?"

"We went to Death's Library," replied Finn, "The Land of Ooo is being terrorized by the Life Taker and we learnt that only the Life Giver can defeat it. How do we get to the Life Giver's dimension."

"Through this portal here," said the purple humanoid, "I am Ianitor, the Keeper of the Interdimensional Portal to the Hidden World of the Life Giver. A long title but it explains a lot."

"Then you've got to let us through, man," said Jake, "We've got to see the Life Giver."

"Not so fast, before you may enter, you must submit your proof of entry," said Ianitor. They looked at one another.

"We don't have any," replied Finn.

"Then you may not enter," said Ianitor.

"WHAT?!" burst out Marceline, "That's hardly fair. Do you know what we went through to get here, all that we've endured? We didn't come all this way just to be denied." She hissed angrily, bat wings sprouting out of her back.

Princess Bubblegum stepped forward, taking her crown out of her backpack. "Here, it's the most valuable thing I own," she said, holding out the crown.

"That's not true," said Ianitor, "There is something far more valuable that you all have. Take a look into my light orb." He gestured to the green orb of light in the centre of the room. The geometric shapes swirled faster and a picture began to waver in the depths.

"Hey, that's us," cried Finn, pointing to the swaying image. The image depicted them outside the entrance to the cave system.

_Lava?" said Jake, shrugging his shoulders.  
"Exactly," replied Flame Princess. She looked up at the cave entrances, frowning. "I don't see any lava though."  
"It probably cooled ages ago," said Marceline, folding her arms, "How are we supposed to find it now?"  
"Marceline, stop right there," cried Princess Bubblegum, "You're right on the edge of the answer."  
"I am?" replied Marceline in surprise.  
"What happens to lava when it cools?" asked Princess Bubblegum.  
"It becomes rock," replied Marceline.  
"Yes, but what kind of rock?" pressed Princess Bubblegum. Marceline thought for a moment.  
"Volcanic rock?" she said at length.  
"Yes, and more precisely, igneous rock," replied Princess Bubblegum._

The image faded and was replaced by another. This time they were outside the Crystal door, trying to figure out how to get through.

_"Hey guys, I've found more writing," called Finn. They joined him at a small panel next to the door.  
"More Latin," murmured Princess Bubblegum, "When the key won't fit the lock, It means your way is blocked, but some things can be changed, when speculums are rearranged."  
"What's a speculum?" asked Jake.  
"I don't know," admitted Princess Bubblegum, "Maybe something here will give us a clue."  
"The word sounds familiar," mused Marceline.  
"What about these?" asked Finn, pointing to a cluster of mirrors in the corner.  
"Of course," said Marceline, snapping her fingers and landing on the ground next to the mirrors. "Speculum," she said, "Speculum is an old word for mirror."_

The image flickered and changed again to show them fighting the lava monster.

_"Hey wait, I've got an idea," said Princess Bubblegum as she watched Finn chuck rock after rock at the lava monster, "Jake, punch the ceiling."  
"Gotcha, Princess," replied Jake._

"Do you see now?" asked Ianitor, "What did you learn from your ordeals?" For a moment no one spoke.

"We worked together," said Princess Bubblegum.

"That's right," replied Ianitor, "You worked together, learning to rely on one another to overcome your challenges. That is the most valuable thing you can own. You worked so closely together that you practically became a single entity."

"I understand," said Marceline, "The Life Giver and the Life Taker were once a single entity."

"And when they were that single entity," continued Princess Bubblegum, "The world was in balance."

"And when they were split, the balance was upset," said Finn and Jake.

"The key has been unity all along, hasn't it?" asked Flame Princess.

"That's right," smiled Ianitor, "Unity is the key. Unity is the proof." A bright light spilled out from the great orb of light, bathing the room in a myriad of colours. "You may pass through," concluded Ianitor.

"Alright guys," said Finn, "Let's go. It's time to finish this." With that he and the others stepped into the portal.


	16. The Life Giver's Realm

Light swirled around them as they traversed the portal, tumbling over and over in midair. Ianitor's voice echoed around them, "Souls gather around life like moths to a flame." The same sentence echoed over and over again.

"Oof," gasped Marceline as she landed face first on the ground. She was about to get up when something, or rather someone, landed on top of her, legs draped over her shoulders. She recognised the familiar brown explorer boots.

"Bonnie, not that this isn't lovely but would you please get off me," mumbled Marceline.

"Sorry Marcy," squeaked Princess Bubblegum, getting off the Vampire Queen and helping her up. Finn got up before helping Flame Princess up while Lady and Jake got up, looking around them.

"Wow, just look at this place," exclaimed Jake, gazing in wonder at everything around him. They were standing on the edge of a vast floating island covered in grass. Ahead of them stood a dense jungle with tall trees and densely foliated canopies. The air was alive with bird song and the cries of many different animals. The sky above was impossibly blue with white cottony clouds scudding across it. They gazed in awe at the world brimming with life where nothing was withered or dead.

"So, where do we go now?" asked Jake.

"Souls gather around life like moths to a flame," muttered Marceline, "What the heck did he mean like that?"

"It must be some sort of clue," replied Princess Bubblegum, "Let's take a look around." She scanned the landscape around them, analytical mind whirring away. She considered the elements around them. "Look, there," she said, pointing to an area beyond the jungle, "Do you see? Where the sky looks like it's on fire. Like moths to a flame."

"And souls are life," continued Marceline.

"So that must be where we'll find the Life Giver," concluded Princess Bubblegum.

"Sounds right," said Flame Princess, "We might as well look."

"At least it isn't quite so hot here," added Finn, "I was just about ready to melt in there."

The grass rustled beneath their feet as they walked towards the edge of the jungle.

"Whoa," cried Finn as something flapped near his feet. A giant moth, larger than any he'd ever seen, flapped up from the ground at his feet, wings beating with a heavy flap and scattering dust around them as it rose higher.

"That's huge," gasped Princess Bubblegum, "You don't suppose everything here is giant, do you?"

"We'll have to keep a look out," said Jake, "I don't want to end up as a giant spider's breakfast." He shuddered at the thought.

"Wait a minute," said Marceline, suddenly coming to a halt.

"What is it, Marcy?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"I just realised I'm walking," replied Marceline.

"Uhh, yeah, you can do that y'know," said Princess Bubblegum looking puzzled.

"Yeah, but what I can't do is float," replied Marceline, "Not even an inch."

"What?" gasped Princess Bubblegum in surprise.

"나도 날 수 없습니다," cried Lady Rainicorn, also unable to fly.

"What's up with this place?" asked Marceline, hissing.

"It must have different rules to back home," surmised Princess Bubblegum, "The sooner we're out of here the better." Marceline nodded. The others looked shocked at these revelations. After a while they continued walking. Marceline began to feel a little nervous. Quite a few of their obstacles had been overcome with either her or Lady's flight abilities. What if they were needed here? 'No, Marceline,' she silently berated herself, 'Now's the time to figure things out. Like...like Bonnie does.'

Before long they reached a vast lake where they stopped to refill their depleted water supplies. Princess Bubblegum cupped handfuls of the fresh clear water. Instantly the cuts and bruises she had sustained during their adventures in the caves vanished and she felt revitalized.

"Wow, this water has serious magical properties," she observed. The others, save for Flame Princess, followed suit.

Finn wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "Dude, I am so ready to face whatever comes are way now," he said confidently. He made to draw his sword out of habit only to remember it wasn't there. "I guess I'll do some hand-to-hand combat for now," he said sheepishly.  
They reached the jungle where the chirps and screeches of wild animals grew louder. The air in the jungle was hot and humid. Before long Princess Bubblegum had taken off her jacket and slung it over her shoulder.

"Globbit," muttered Marceline as she tripped over a tree root and sprawled to the ground, "I miss flying." Princess Bubblegum knelt down next to her.

"C'mon Marmalade, it won't be long before we can go home," she soothed, stroking Marceline's midnight hair.

"Well," muttered Marceline, "I might keep going. But only if you kiss me, sugar."

"As if I'd refuse," replied Princess Bubblegum, kissing Marceline affectionately, "You gonna get up now?"

"Maybe for one more," teased Marceline.

"Don't push it," warned Princess Bubblegum, pulling Marceline to her feet. Marceline stuck her tongue out at her.

"Well, I'll keep going," she teased, "But only because I want to." Princess Bubblegum laughed softly. She loved these pretend fights. Some things just never change.

Suddenly something rustled in the trees overhead.

"What was that?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"I don't know," replied Marceline, looking around sharply as another rustle sounded to her right.

"AAAIIEEEE!" screamed Princess Bubblegum as something grabbed her around her waist and she felt herself being hoisted up into a tree. Marceline whirled around to see two large furry creatures holding the struggling Princess. They had large hands and feet and long prehensile tails.

"Monkeys?" said Marceline in surprise, "I haven't seen one in centuries." "Hey!" she yelled, "Give me back my bubblegum!"

"Marceline!" cried Princess Bubblegum, "What are they doing?" One of the monkeys was searching through Princess Bubblegum's hair.

"I think they're looking for bugs in your hair," Marceline called up, "Hang on, I'll get you down."

"I do not have bugs in my hair," Princess Bubblegum shouted in indignation. The monkeys took no notice and continued searching. Marceline tried to fly, forgetting she could not. She cursed under her breath, searching for something to help her. She spotted a giant bunch of bananas hanging from a tree and climbed up, biting off the bunch with her fangs. She showed the bananas to the monkeys who immediately took an interest.

"Yeah, you want these?" yelled Marceline, "Return my Bonnie and I'll give them to you." She held them out of reach when one of the monkeys made a grab for them.

"Give me Bonnie first," she yelled, pointing at Princess Bubblegum, hoping she could get them to understand. The monkey holding the Princess looked from the bananas to the Princess and back to the bananas again. Slowly it reached down, depositing Princess Bubblegum on the forest floor. Princess Bubblegum scrambled to her feet and hurried behind Marceline. Marceline then handed over the bananas which the monkeys snatched before climbing further up into the tree.

"Right," said Princess Bubblegum, dusting herself down, "Now I can add being traded for a bunch of bananas to my list of adventures." She turned to face Marceline. "Thanks," she smiled, "I owe you one."

"Well, you can owe me it later," grinned Marceline, laughing at the dense pink patches that appeared on Princess Bubblegum's cheeks. Marceline stopped laughing, looking around, "Hey, where's everyone else?" Princess Bubblegum followed her gaze.

"They mustn't have realised we weren't with them," she replied, "They must've gone on without us." She grabbed Marceline's wrist and began running through the forest, trying to catch sight or sound of the rest of the group. More than once they stumbled and nearly fell before continuing on.

"Got any ideas?" asked Marceline as they ran. PB shook her head.

"Nothing," she replied. She glanced up, "Wait, yes, that might work."

"What might work?" asked Marceline.

"We need to get a good vantage point to check our location and find the others," explained Princess Bubblegum, "What could be better than one of these trees?"

"That's awfully high up Bonnie, and I can't fly anymore, remember?" Marceline reminded her.

"We'll be fine," replied Princess Bubblegum, "Come on." She leapt up at a low hanging branch and pulled herself up. Marceline followed her, pulling herself up onto the branch next to the Princess. They climbed up hand over hand until they found themselves pushing through the dense canopy. A flock of birds erupted from the top of the tree as they burst through the canopy. From this height they saw just how vast the forest truly was. It stretched for miles. Princess Bubblegum cupped her hands to her mouth.

"FINN! JAKE! LADY! FLAME PRINCESS!" she shouted, her voice echoing out over the distance. Marceline joined in the shouting. A very distant echo came back to them.

"PB, Marcy, where are you?" asked Finn.

"WE DON'T KNOW!" yelled Marceline, "STAY WHERE YOU ARE! WE'LL FOLLOW YOUR VOICES!"

"Ok," came Finn's reply. After that several distant echoes kept emanating from the same area as the rest of the group tried to make sure the two monarchs would find them. They climbed back down the tree where Marceline began swivelling her ears to pick up on the direction of the sound. "That way," she said, pointing to a gap in the trees. They hurried off in the direction of the calls.

* * *

"How did they even get lost?" asked Finn between shouts, "I thought they were behind us the whole time."

"So did I, dude," replied Jake, "Hehe, they probably just stopped for a smooch somewhere."

"We heard that," came a voice from the undergrowth. Princess Bubblegum stepped out from the dense leaves closely followed by the Vampire Queen.

"PB, Marcy, what happened to you?" asked Flame Princess.

"Oh, Bonnie got kidnapped by monkeys," explained Marceline.

"What are monkeys?" asked Flame Princess.

"Large furry creatures with absolutely no manners," pouted Princess Bubblegum. Marceline chuckled.

"We're just glad you're back," said Jake, "Honestly, we thought you were behind us the whole time."

"Well, when we were trying to find you we got a better look at the forest," said Marceline, "It's huge. We'll never get through it in a day. But we need to keep heading North." She took out her compass, "Which is...that way." She pointed off into the undergrowth.

"Right," said Finn, "One Northbound trip coming up."

"And watch out for monkeys," laughed Marceline.

"You're not going to let me forget that, are you?" asked Princess Bubblegum, smiling wickedly.

"Not a chance," grinned Marceline, forgetting she can't float and landing on her back, looking up at the Princess.

"And I'm not going to let you forget that," chuckled Princess Bubblegum. Marceline pouted before getting up. They followed the others into the undergrowth, taking care not to be left behind.

As night fell they gathered together some twigs and leaves to serve as beds. Finn and Jake gathered some kindling and built a fire pit which Flame Princess lit with a well aimed fireball. Once they had eaten they curled up, ready for sleep.

"I'll take the first watch," volunteered Finn, "Jake, I'll wake you up at 2am."

"Alright, dude," replied Jake. One by one the group fell into a contented sleep, glad to be out of the claustrophobic tunnels they had had to make do with up until now.


	17. The Strange Creature

Jake sat down on a protruding rock, ready to keep watch. Every so often he pricked up his ears as a sound from the undergrowth reached him. More than once he thought he saw a pair of eyes watching him from a gap in the trees. Every sound seemed magnified a thousand times over. A twig snapping in the dark sounded like a gunshot and the beat of wings overhead sounded like a sheet flapping in the wind.

Suddenly something rustled into the undergrowth. Jake morphed one hand into a club, ready to confront whatever should appear. A small creature with large eyes, the body of a squirrel, a beaver-like tail and a pair of small branched antlers growing out of its head scampered out of the undergrowth towards Jake. It froze, furry belly pressed to the ground as it caught sight of Jake's club hand. Jake morphed his hand back to its usual form once he caught sight of the strange creature.

"Hey little dude," he said gently, "What are you doing here, huh?" The creature made a low chittering sound in its throat. Jake slowly reached into Finn's backpack so as not to startle the creature. He brought out a biscuit and held it out, coaxing the creature closer. It scampered forwards in short spurts, still not sure what to make of him. It stretched out its neck and sniffed at the biscuit. It grabbed it in tiny dark brown paws and darted back a few paces before taking a cautious nibble. It chirred happily, quickly devouring the rest of the biscuit before sitting back to clean itself.

"Heh, cute little guy," chuckled Jake as he watched the creature combing its ears. He sat back down on the rock to resume watch. A few moments later he caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye. The strange creature was sniffing at Finn's backpack. 'It must've smelt the rest of the biscuits,' Jake reasoned. He stretched over one arm and fished out another biscuit for the little creature. It happily began nibbling at the biscuit, glancing over at Jake every once in a while. When it had finished and combed the crumbs out of its whiskers it curled up on the ground next to the sleeping bubblegum princess, beaver tail over its nose.

The following morning dawned bright and early. Princess Bubblegum was the first to wake up. She looked at the beaver-squirrel hybrid that was still curled up next to her, ears twitching in its sleep.

"Huh?" she murmured sleepily. She nudged Marceline. "Hey, Mar-Mar, wake up."

"Mmm?" muttered Marceline, yawning, "What is it, Bon?"

"Look," replied Princess Bubblegum, pointing at the creature.

"What is it?" asked Marceline.

"I don't know," replied Princess Bubblegum, "I've never seen anything like it before."

"He showed up here last night," said Jake from where he was gathering together their supplies, "Just came scampering out of the bushes, looking for food. I gave him a couple of biscuits and then he fell asleep next to you." Princess Bubblegum reached out and petted the curious creature. It woke with a start, darting back a few feet before stopping, staring up at the Princess with big round eyes.

"He's cute," smiled Princess Bubblegum, holding out her hand. The creature slowly hopped forwards. He nuzzled the Princess' fingers, chittering softly.

"I think he likes you," observed Marceline, holding out her own hand to the creature. With sudden daring he scampered up her arm where he sat on her shoulder.

"Seems like he likes you too," laughed Princess Bubblegum. By this time Finn, Flame Princess and Lady Rainicorn had woken up and were gathering together their belongings. Marceline picked up the creature and set him down on the rock.

"We have to go now, little guy," she said gently. The little creature tilted his head to one side, regarding her with large dark eyes. It continued watching as they made their way out of the clearing. Marceline stared at her compass, keeping the group on track as they made their way through the forest.

Suddenly Princess Bubblegum felt something scamper up her leg, tiny claws digging into her trousers. She jumped, letting out a startled shriek.

"What is it, Bonnie?" asked Marceline. Then she caught sight of the furry stowaway clinging to the Princess' shoulder.

"Do you want to come with us or something?" asked Marceline, picking up the creature where it sat on her palm. In response to her question the creature scampered up her arm where it perched on her shoulder.

"I think you got your answer," observed Jake.

"You sure gave poor Bonnie a fright though," commented Marceline, flashing the princess an impish grin. The princess pouted but didn't look too serious about it. Now with one extra member the group continued on.

As the sun reached its peak they came to a river. The water was deep and the current swift. Marceline looked at her compass in dismay. The little needle was pointing in the direction of the opposite bank. "We've got to cross it," she said finally.

"But the current's far too swift," replied Flame Princess, looking uneasily at the water.

"No problem," said Jake, "I've got this. He looped one arm around a rock before jumping into the river, morphing into a large boat. "All aboard," he cried, "The S.S. Jake will be departing soon." One by one they climbed in. Flame Princess sat down in the centre of the Jake boat, as far from the water as possible. Finn sat down next to her, smiling reassuringly.

"Don't worry," he said, "Jake does this all the time." Flame Princess nodded, smiling as the yellow craft left its moorings. Princess Bubblegum looked over the edge at the swirling water beneath them. She could see small fish darting beneath the surface. The water, like everything else here, was teeming with life.

Before long they had reached the far side, Jake looping his arm around a tree trunk while the others got out. He stretched onto the land next to them and they continued onward.

As they advanced the land began to slope gently upwards. The trees began to change as they climbed. Tall jungle trees with thick canopies and dangling vines gave way to shorter, stockier, deciduous trees. Some of them Princess Bubblegum recognised while others were alien to her. Some had papery trunks with dark green leaves while others appeared to have fur in place of leaves. Marceline swore that one of the trees had eyes in its trunk but when they looked the eyes had disappeared. Every so often a bird flew across their path, its wings beating in the fresh cool air. Cries echoed from in between the trees as the floating island's wildlife made its presence known.

Suddenly a wail, quite different from the other sounds, echoed through the trees. Immediately the other cries fell silent. Marceline felt tiny claws dig into her shoulder as the squirrel-beaver hybrid pressed close to her, ears twitching.

"I don't like the sound of that," she said in a low voice, looking around.

"Neither do I," replied Princess Bubblegum.

"Where do you think it came from?" asked Finn. Another wail sounded, closer. They looked around, trying to figure out the direction from which it came.

"It's hard to tell," replied Jake, stretching his ears up and swivelling them like a pair of radar,

"Somewhere over there." He pointed off into the undergrowth. Jake morphed his hand into a club in readiness while Flame Princess lit her flame sword. There was a moment of absolute silence.

RAAAAARROOOOOOO! Something leapt onto the path ahead. It was a large quadrupedal creature with long limbs tipped with three toed feet. It had smooth teal coloured skin and a long whiplash tail. Its head curved back into a bony horn and its electric blue eyes glowed in its head.

The beaver-squirrel leapt down off Marceline's shoulder and darted into the underbrush, chattering wildly. "What is that?" cried Princess Bubblegum.

"I don't know," replied Jake, "But I don't think it's in a good mood." The creature growled threateningly, displaying a set of razor sharp teeth. Finn leapt forward, aiming a kick at the creature. It roared, lashing out with its whip-like tail and sending Finn flying backwards. He crashed into the trunk of a tree and slid down to the ground.

"How dare you hurt Finn!" yelled Flame Princess, flaring up, her usual features distorted by leaping flames as she ran at the creature. It yelled in pain, leaping back from the searing heat that emanated from the Princess of fire. It yelped, darting away into the forest from whence it came.

Flame Princess flickered, resuming her usual form. The distant shrieks of the creature still echoed through the trees.

"Finn, are you alright?" asked Flame Princess, kneeling down next to Finn.

"Yeah, I'm fine," muttered Finn, getting up and rubbing his head where it had struck the tree.

"We'd better keep moving before more of those creatures show up," said Marceline. Princess Bubblegum nodded.

"Wait a minute, where's our furry friend?" she asked. Marceline checked her shoulder but the beaver-squirrel was nowhere to be seen.

"He must've run off when that monster appeared," she reasoned, "Well, there's nothing we can do now." They continued through the forest, listening out for any threatening sounds.

As the sun began to set behind the mountains they found themselves on an exposed plateau above the forest. Ahead of them stood the mountains and beyond that, leaping and flickering in the fading light, were the flames they had seen at the beginning of their journey. They were closer than before and this was a welcoming sight to the weary adventurers.

"Is something the matter, Finn?" asked Flame Princess as she sat next to Finn. Since their encounter with the beast Finn had been unusually subdued.

"I'm useless without my sword," he muttered, not meeting Flame Princess' gaze.

"That's not true," replied Flame Princess, "You've helped keep this group together. You're really brave and when things are looking bad we look to you for bravery."

"She's right, Finn," said Marceline, "Like when we were in the Keeper's room you had the courage to speak to him."

"Or like when things looked like they were going sour down in the tunnels," added Princess Bubblegum, "You never gave up and, because of that, we never gave up either." Finn smiled.

"We'd better stop here for a bit," said Jake, "It's getting late." Princess Bubblegum nodded, setting her backpack down on the ground. Finn looked up as a rumble of thunder echoed overhead.

"Looks like there's a storm brewing," observed Jake. The clouds above them were a sulphurous yellow and the air around them felt tense and charged. Flame Princess began to look a little nervous. Out here on the plateau they were completely exposed.

"Don't worry, I've got an idea," said Marceline. Fur sprouted on her arms and face as she morphed into her bat monster form. She raised one wing over the other adventurers as the first drops of rain started falling.

"What about you, Mar-Mar?" asked Princess Bubblegum. Marceline laughed.

"Don't worry about me, Bonnie," she smiled, "I'm not going to melt from a little rain.

Lightning clawed at the sky and the rain fell in torrents. Something darted over the plateau, seeking refuge from the storm. It spotted the adventurers and made a beeline for them. It reached the edge of camp where it slunk low to the ground, disappearing into Princess Bubblegum's backpack with a flicker of its beaverish tail.

Marceline's soaked fur clung to her skin and her ears drooped a little in the deluge. She felt something climbing up her back, small hands fisting in the rain soaked fur. Slender arms wrapped around her neck as Princess Bubblegum nuzzled her affectionately. "Thought you could use a bit of company," she murmured.

"What about the rain?" asked Marceline. The Princess chuckled softly.

"You said so yourself," she replied, "I won't melt from a little rain either." Marceline smiled, lifting the Princess off her back and holding her gently. Princess Bubblegum smiled, burying her face in the damp fur another Marceline's furry chin. Marceline looked up at the sky, watching as the clouds finally started to recede. Soon it would be time to move on again but for now she just enjoyed the time spent with her princess.


	18. Frogs and Fire

The following morning dawned bright and sunny. The clouds had long since disappeared and with it the tense atmosphere. Marceline reverted to her vampire form, wringing out her wet hair before putting her hat back on her head as the first rays of the rising sun peeked over the stone plateau. Princess Bubblegum picked up her backpack and they set off in the direction of the mountains. The stone that made up the plateau was crisscrossed with cracks, some as much as a foot wide in places. Below them they could hear the sound of running water.

They reached the edge of the plateau as the sun reached its highest point in the sky.

"Why don't we stop here for lunch?" suggested Princess Bubblegum, setting her backpack down on a boulder.

"Yeah, sounds good to me," replied Jake, "What are we having?"

"I think I've still got some teacakes in here," said Princess Bubblegum, rummaging around in her backpack. Suddenly she leapt back with a startled outcry.

"What's the matter, Bon?" asked Marceline.

"Something moved in there," squeaked Princess Bubblegum, pointing at the backpack. As they watched the backpack quivered. They heard the sound of tiny paws scrabbling against the slippery nylon interior as whatever it was tried to escape. Marceline advanced slowly. As she neared the backpack all movement ceased. She peered inside and a moment later burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" asked Princess Bubblegum. Without replying Marceline reached into the backpack and pulled out a familiar beaver-tailed creature. It struggled in her grasp, chittering loudly.

"So, that's where you were all along," laughed Marceline, "Frightening Bonnie again."

"I wasn't frightened," retorted Princess Bubblegum.

"Whatever babe," smiled Marceline as she put the beaver-squirrel on the ground and watched as it scampered up to Princess Bubblegum. It tilted its head to one side, nuzzling at her fingers as she reached down to pet it.

"He must've crawled into my backpack when I wasn't looking," reasoned Princess Bubblegum. She looked down at the creature. "Are you here to stay this time?" she asked. By means of response the beaver-squirrel darted up Princess Bubblegum's arm where he perched on her shoulder. He sniffed curiously at her bubblegum hair and she had to lift him down before he could take a bite. Marceline took a biscuit out of Finn's backpack and offered it to the beaver-squirrel. He took it from her fingers, sitting back and nibbling at the sugary snack.

"Got anything red in there?" Marceline asked Princess Bubblegum, pointing at the backpack.

"There should be an apple in here," replied Princess Bubblegum, pulling out the apple and tossing it to Marceline. She caught it, biting into it and draining it of its colour. Princess Bubblegum pulled out a cupcake and began eating it. Marceline smiled, watching as the Princess bit off the icing first. It was something of a habit, an unusual quirk that the Vampire Queen found adorable. The Princess caught her gaze and smiled.

Once they finished eating they set off away from the plateau and walked towards the foothills. The grass here was dryer and rougher than the grass in the forest. It brushed against their legs as they made their way up over the foothills. Finn and Flame Princess were talking near the front while Jake walked next to Lady. Marceline caught the odd word of their conversation and smiled to herself, realising that they were talking about getting married once they got back to Ooo. The beaver-squirrel had resumed its usual position on Marceline's shoulder. Once in a while it would hop up onto her head, sitting on the top of her hat and gazing at the world around it like an explorer setting foot in a new world for the first time.

The blue skies above were devoid of clouds and a cool breeze ruffled their hair and tugged at their clothes. The storm had brought with it the fresh smell of life which they breathed in gratefully. They looked up at the top of the tallest mountain where the burning sky could be seen, undulating like the aurora.

"Looks like the only way is up," observed Marceline, pointing up at the burning sky.

"Figures," remarked Jake.

"You'd better stay in Bonnie's backpack for this bit," said Marceline, lifting the beaver-squirrel off her hat and depositing him in Bonnibel's backpack. She looked up at the cliff, once more wishing she could have her powers of flight back. Whilst walking she had tried flying in her bat form, hoping she had at least retained her powers of flight in that form. She found that she could manage an awkward glide but nothing more. She hoped she wouldn't need to rely on her powers too much.

"Alright, hop on, everyone," said Jake, as he began expanding his body so there would be enough space for all of them to sit comfortably. They climbed on his back and watched as the ground dropped away beneath them as he extended his legs. At least this world had not compromised Jake's stretchy powers. As they neared the top the wind became stronger, whipping back the Vampire Queen's hair and whistling in her pointed ears. They broke through a layer of cloud and at last reached the summit. Jake stretched forwards until he was lying on the ground of the summit before retracting his legs. He got up, looking straight ahead in dismay. The summit was devoid of flames.

"Where are they?" he asked, "Where is the fiery sky? I know it was here. We saw it."

"Look," exclaimed Finn, pointing out at something in the distance. Far out over the cloudy abyss that wavered below the island was another smaller island. It was above this island that the sky burned like fire.

"It was an optical illusion," growled Marceline, "How the lump are we supposed to get there?"

"Calm down, Marce," soothed Princess Bubblegum, "We'll find a way." She walked over to the edge of the mountain, staring out at the floating isle, hoping an idea would present itself.

"거기에 공주를 찾습니다," said Lady, pointing at somewhere below them.

"What is it, Lady?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"이 아래 토지의 조각을 찾아보십시오," replied Lady, "그것은 거의 부두처럼 보이는 그것을하지 않는? 그 돌 부두 아닌가요?"

"You're right," said Princess Bubblegum, "It does look like a jetty down there. Do you think it might hold some clues?" Lady nodded.

"그것은 수 있습니다," she replied.

"That's settled then," smiled Princess Bubblegum, "Jake, do you think you could change into a sled?"

"Do you really have to ask?" grinned Jake, "Come on, everyone." He strode to the edge of the summit where he stretched out his body, flattening it down into a sled. The others climbed on and he pushed himself over the edge, sliding down and quickly gathering speed.

"WOOOOO!" whooped Finn, throwing his hands up in the air. Flame Princess laughed at her boyfriend's child-like antics, joining in as they swerved around a boulder. Marceline screeched with delight, holding the Princess tightly and pressing her chin against the top of the monarch's head. The beaver-squirrel poked his head out of the backpack, watching the world whiz past in a blur.

At last they came to a halt near the jetty Lady Rainicorn had spotted. It was indeed a stone jetty and they could tell by the intricate carvings on the stones that they were not the first to set foot here. The markings were similar to those found on the Keeper's door. There was, however, one thing, or rather several things, they had not spotted from the top of the mountain. Hopping among the ruins of the jetty were several large green frogs.

"Giant frogs?" said Marceline in surprise, "I wonder what they're doing here. I don't see any water nearby."

"Hey look at this," exclaimed Flame Princess, waving them over. She was standing in front of a placard. She looked at the writing on the board. "It says all those who wish to meet the Giver of Life must take a leap of faith," she read aloud from the placard.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Jake, "Do they want us to just jump over the edge or something?"

"I don't think so," replied Flame Princess, looking over at the frogs, "I've got an idea." She walked slowly over to one of the frogs so as not to startle it. As she had guessed the frogs were wearing a sort of collar which had a set of reigns attached to it. Flame Princess hopped up onto the frog's back and gripped the reigns tightly. Finn followed suit, climbing up next to her.

"So, we're supposed to ride them?" said Marceline questioningly.

"Seems like it," replied Princess Bubblegum as she walked over to the nearest frog. She climbed up onto it, noting that it was unusually docile for a wild animal. She helped Marceline up next to her. The moment Lady and Jake climbed onto a third frog a change seemed to come over their three amphibious mounts. As one they began to hop slowly towards the edge of the jetty.

"W-what are they doing?" asked Princess Bubblegum nervously, "Tell me they're not going to-." She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence as the frog she was riding leapt off the jetty with powerful thrusts from its back legs. She screamed, almost losing her balance. Marceline caught her, gripping her so tightly that her nails dug into her slightly. The Princess looked up at Marceline and was surprised to see the Vampire Queen looking terrified. She was staring ahead with wide eyes and her lips were pulled back in a frightened hiss. The Princess looked down at the cloudy abyss below and gulped. She stared ahead at the island which slowly drew nearer. She concluded that the frogs must have some sort of magic power as they almost seemed to be flying. She felt Marceline quiver slightly and she put her arm around her.

"We're going to be alright," she said gently but Marceline didn't reply.

As they drew nearer the frogs began to lose height. At first Princess Bubblegum thought they would fall short of the island. She felt Marceline's grip tighten on her once more. Her undead heart was in her mouth as they descended. They felt a heavy thump as the frog landed on the stony ground of the island. Marceline rolled off, breathing heavily, drawing useless breaths out of habit. Princess Bubblegum knelt next to her. "Are you alright?" she asked soothingly. Marceline nodded shakily.

"That was scary," she gasped. Princess Bubblegum nodded understandingly. Marceline felt insecure without the full extent of her powers.

"I was scared too," she admitted. She helped Marceline to her feet before tugging her into a comforting embrace. A year or two ago Marceline would have been embarrassed by letting such feels as fear and insecurity show but now things were different. She returned the embrace, burying her face in Princess Bubblegum's neck, planting a sly kiss there. Princess Bubblegum smiled, stroking Marceline's hair. They drew apart and smiled at one another.

"That was a wild ride," commented Jake, watching the frogs as they returned to hopping around aimlessly.

"저것 좀 봐!" exclaimed Lady Rainicorn, pointing at the sky. They turned to look in the direction Lady was pointing. It was an amazing sight. Ahead of them the sky burned with perpetual fire, lighting up the sky like a second sun. Through the flames they could see the fuzzy outline of a large pillared temple.

"What are we supposed to do now?" asked Finn, staring at the flames that reached up endlessly into the sky.


	19. The Final Battle

"We have to get through somehow," said Finn, staring into the flames. He walked forwards a few paces. He leapt back as the flames flared up, seeming to reach out for the adventurer. The heat was overpowering and Finn shielded his eyes from the bright light.

"Great, what are we supposed to do now?" cried Marceline in frustration.

"I could always try stretching over it," suggested Jake.

"No, it's much too high for that," replied Princess Bubblegum, "And far too dangerous." She looked around. "No water to put it out with either," she continued, "Everyone, look around, there might be another placard like the one we saw earlier." They spread out, searching around the area before the fire. Finn brushed aside the ivy on a stone walls and even tried lifting some of the loose flagstones, hoping an answer might be concealed somewhere. After several minutes of fruitless searching they returned to the wall of fire.

"Find anything?" Princess Bubblegum asked Finn.

"Not a thing," replied Finn, "I even tried looking under some of the flagstones. Not so much as a single world."

"Negative here too," added Marceline.

Jake growled, stomping towards the flames.

"제이크, 당신은 무엇을?" cried Lady. Jake stooped to pick up a stick, tossing it angrily into the flames. The stick fell into the flames where it landed on the stone floor. Jake's look of frustration turned to one of surprise.

"Guys, you'd better get a look at this," he cried, beckoning them over. They hurried over to where he was standing and looked at the ground where he was pointing. There was the stick, lying intact in the flames. Jake picked up another stick and held it into the flames. He pulled it out a moment later.

"I-it's not burning," observed Marceline. Jake took a deep breath and slowly extended his hand into the fire. The flames licked at his skin but otherwise there was no effect. Not even the smell of singed fur. Slowly he inched in further until the flames completely engulfed him. "Hey, it's alright," he called, "We can go through."

One by one they followed Jake into the flames, leaving only Marceline and Princess Bubblegum. "Come on, Marceline," said Princess Bubblegum. Marceline looked up at the towering flames with a look of undisguised fear on her face. Fire, that was the substance that made up the sun. It looked like the sun and burned as bright as the sun. Suppose it carried the sun's power.

"I can't," she said, taking one step back.

"But Marcy, we just watched everyone else go in," replied Princess Bubblegum, "It's perfectly safe."

"You don't understand," said Marceline, "That fire; it looks like the sun and burns as brightly. Suppose it carries the same power over vampires. What if I burn?"

"It won't," replied Princess Bubblegum.

"How do you know?" asked Marceline.

"I just do," replied Princess Bubblegum, "Come on, when have I ever led you into danger?" She took a few steps towards the flames, "I promise, everything will be fine." Marceline hesitantly followed her for a few paces, stopping just short of the flames. Princess Bubblegum stepped into the flames which flared up around her, engulfing her.

"BONNIE!" yelled Marceline. Princess Bubblegum's head poked through, framed by the flames.

"Marceline, calm down, I'm alright," she said gently, "And I promise you will be too." She held out her hand. "Come on-Mar-Mar," she coaxed. Marceline clenched her hands into fists. She bit her lip, taking Princess Bubblegum's hand.

"You'd better keep your promise, Bonnibel," she muttered as she closed her eyes, stepping forwards. She closed her eyes, expecting to feel burning at any moment. When nothing happened she opened her eyes. Princess Bubblegum was standing in front of her, flames leaping around her yet she remained untouched. Marceline looked down at herself and saw that the flames weren't touching her either. A few paces ahead stood Finn, Jake, Flame Princess and Lady Rainicorn.

"Come on, guys, let's go," said Finn before heading further into the flames. Marceline walked close to Princess Bubblegum and she looped an arm around the Vampire Queen's waist as they continued walking.

At last the fire began to thin and they saw the temple ahead of them clearer than ever before. It was massive and appeared to be made entirely from marble. Pillars lined the edges of the temple and supported by these pillars was a shallow sloping roof. Vines coiled around these pillars and crept up over the roof. On the gables were carved intricate patterns. They depicted many plants and animals all centred around a large oak tree carved below the apex. The air around them was still and silent and somehow it felt wrong to break such a silence. Even their footsteps appeared to be muted as they began to make their way towards the temple. The flagstones upon which they walked were cracked in places and moss grew up through the cracks.

"What is this place?" whispered Finn as they walked into the temple.

"I don't know, man," replied Jake.

"This place is magical," said Princess Bubblegum reverently, her fingers gliding over one of the pillars.

"So, where's the Life Giver?" asked Flame Princess, "This is the island with the flames after all. And we've come as far into this place as it is possible to go. So, where is he?"

"And what brings you young ones to my temple?" said a voice from the shade. A strange creature stepped out from behind one of the stone pillars. With each step flowers and other small plants grew around his hooves. He was a strange looking beast. He had the head of a squirrel monkey, the body of a jackal, the horns of a ram and the beard and hooves of a goat. His voice was deep and sounded like it was echoing through a vast cavern. A thin halo of light shimmered around his form. At the sound of his words the beaver-squirrel, who up until this point had been hiding in Princess Bubblegum's backpack, poked his head out. He scampered down her arm and darted across the floor to the mysterious beast, standing up on his hind paws and greeting the strange creature.

"Are you the Life Giver?" asked Finn.

"I am," replied the Life Giver, "And I see you have found my messenger as well."

"Your messenger?" said Jake, looking at the beaver-squirrel.

"Indeed," replied the Life Giver, "The Beaverel here saw you arrive and kept watch for the first part of your journey, checking to make sure you were not here to desecrate this sacred place. He acts as my eyes and ears from afar. When he saw that your intentions were good he joined you on your journey."

"Who knew you were such an important little guy?" chuckled Jake.

"Now I must ask, why have you come here?" asked the Life Giver.

"We've journeyed here from the Land of Ooo," replied Princess Bubblegum, "Our land is being terrorized by a monster. At first we could not discern its identity but with help from Death and his library we found it to be the Life Taker. We read that you are the only one that can stop it like you did thousands ago."

"That is true," said the Life Giver, "I did stop the Life Taker back then and I do possess the power to stop it. I did sense a disturbance some months ago but I did not believe he could have broken free. I see now I was foolish to believe I could imprison him forever. We must make haste for the longer he roams free the more powerful he becomes. Get on my back. I will take you back to Ooo and we will put a stop to him." He knelt down and allowed them to get on his vast back. Princess Bubblegum and Marceline got on first where they held onto the rams horns that protruded from the sides of his head. Finn and Flame Princess then got on followed by Jake and Lady.

"Are you ready?" asked the Life Giver.

"Yes, we're ready," replied Finn. The Life Giver nodded.

"Very well, let's go," he said. He started into a run, picking up speed until the pillars flashed by on either side. The world around them became a blur and they watched in awe as a white light seemed to rip through the way ahead, growing larger and brighter with each passing second. Marceline shielded her eyes from the glare as they galloped straight for it. They passed through and when they looked back they saw the temple and the floating island receding behind them. There was a bright flash and they found themselves far above Ooo. At least they thought it was Ooo.

"Wh-what's happened?" asked Princess Bubblegum, shock clearly heard in her voice.

"Everything's dead," gasped Marceline.

"The forests...and the fields," cried Jake, "They're...gone." And indeed they were. As though they had never been there. The land was barren and the rivers and lakes were tainted and murky. The sky above was a poisonous purple, thick with toxic vapours.

"There's the Candy Kingdom!" exclaimed Princess Bubblegum, pointing down at the kingdom below them. The walls had crumbled away to nothing and the castle itself looked like it was rotting.

"Are we too late?" she asked, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

"No, there is still time," replied the Life Giver, "Look down there, where the plains meet the mountains." They looked and recoiled at what they saw. A vast area of the plains was obscured by shadows. It appeared to be covered in a thick black gooey liquid that glistened in the pale sickly light cast by the moon.

"Is that where the Life Taker is?" asked Princess Bubblegum.

"Yes, he has built himself a lair, somewhere that matches the darkness in his soul," replied the Life Giver, "Hold on tight." The Life Giver pulled into a dive, making his passenger's stomachs do somersaults. He pulled out of the dive once he neared the ground and sped along, skimming over it like an eagle on the trail of its prey. He landed on the edge of the Life Taker's lair where he asked them to dismount. "This is something I must face as it was by my complacency that he escaped," he explained, "Come out," he yelled, "What right do you have to bring ruin to this place?" A low growl emanated from the depths of the shadows.

"Show yourself," continued the Life Giver, "Come out where I can see you." Something shifted in the shadows and glowing red eyes fixed them with a piercing stare. Slowly the Life Taker came out of the shadows, decayed flesh glistening in the moonlight. Six clawed feet trod the barren earth and bilious purple poison spewed from his maw, twists of vapour rising from wherever it hit.

"Step back," said the Life Giver, "Anyone who touches the Life Taker or the ooze he produces will die." They all took several steps back and Marceline held Princess Bubblegum protectively. She noticed the fierceness with which the Immortal Queen gripped her mortal self. The Life Giver turned back to face the Life Taker.

"You and I both know neither of us can exist here without upsetting the balance of life and death," he said. The Life Taker roared in response, lashing the ground with his decaying tail.

"All that time in the darkness you thrive on has robbed you of your speech," reasoned the Life Giver, "And your reason also. Now you must go back." He opened his mouth where a ball of light collected. It swirled with green energy. He released the energy and it shot across the plains towards the Life Taker. He dodged the energy, charging at the Life Giver with a gurgling snarl. The Life Giver ran at the Life Taker. They clashed in a flurry of fur and claws. The Life Giver aimed a sharp kick at the Life Taker which was thrown back a few feet, skidding in the mud. It leapt forwards, claws raking the Life Giver's furry hide as it spewed more of the deadly ooze.

"How come the ooze doesn't affect him?" asked Finn.

"He's life itself," replied Marceline, "It will take more than that."

The Life Giver launched another beam of energy, catching the Life Taker in the chest and sending him crashing to the ground. Princess Bubblegum gripped Marceline tightly as the battle ensued, each beast dodging and launching themselves at their foe.

"Give up this futility," said the Life Giver in a low steady voice. The Life Taker merely growled. The Life Giver's eyes widened as the Life Taker readied an orb of shadows in its maw. The Life Giver gathered a ball of light in response. In one move they both unleashed their attacks. Light and dark met with a resounding explosion. One pushed against the other but neither could seek dominance. They were equally matched.

"You six, would you join your souls with mine to vanquish this evil and lock him away for good?" asked the Life Giver.

"Of course we would," replied Finn immediately.

"Not so fast," said the Life Giver, "If you agree, you do realise that you may not survive?" They all looked at each other.

"Then I'll join," said Finn, "We set out to defeat this evil and defeat it we shall."

"Then I will join as well," added Flame Princess, "We're in this together, from the beginning to the end."

"And I won't let you leave me behind, bro," said Jake.

"그리고 내 사랑, 당신은 뒤에 나를 떠나게하지 않습니다," added Lady Rainicorn.

Princess Bubblegum looked at Marceline. Marceline nodded and the Princess nodded in response.

"We will join too," said Princess Bubblegum, "We already know our love knows no bounds and that it will never die no matter what happens to us."

"You speak with great wisdom, all of you," said the Life Giver, "Very well, stand beside me and hold out your hands." They did as they were told, three on either side. And as they watched a light coursed down through their arms to their fingertips.

"Is that my soul?" asked Princess Bubblegum. Before Marceline could reply the light melded with that of the Life Giver, growing in size and brightness. Slowly, the beam of light pushed against the darkness, forcing it back. The light grew brighter still as though it saw victory on the horizon. The Life Taker's expression contorted in fear as the light approached. It roared in pain as the light engulfed it. A beam of light shot up into the sky, piercing the darkness above and a shockwave shook the land. As the light dissipated the first rays of the rising sun began to climb over the horizon. Slowly, so slowly it was difficult to tell it was happening at first, the land began to show signs of growth. Grass grew up from the barren soil and new saplings began to grow where their elders had fallen. The sky slowly grew brighter, returning to its natural blue hue and once more the rivers ran fresh and pure. The Candy Kingdom too began to change. Away went the crumbling walls and the rotting buildings, left clean and pristine as before.

"You have fought well," said the Life Giver, looking at the fallen adventurers. Princess Bubblegum lay in the Vampire Queen's arms while Finn lay in Flame Princess'. Jake was curled up on the grass next to Lady Rainicorn.

Princess Bubblegum groaned, opening her eyes slowly. She felt cold arms around her and the warmth of the sun from above.

"What happened?" she asked, "Are we dead?" The Life Giver laughed.

"No," he replied, "Look around and see for yourself."

"And while you're at it," grumbled a voice beneath her, "Mind moving your elbow out of my stomach?" Princess Bubblegum grinned when she heard the familiar voice.

"Mar-Mar," she cried, "We're alive. Well, you know what I mean." She laughed, hugging Marceline tightly. The Beaverel climbed into Princess Bubblegum's lap, looking up at them both. They burst out laughing from the sheer relief of it all. They watched as Jake yawned and stretched as though waking from a long nap. He looked at the world around him and smiled.

"Look, Lady, we did it," he murmured.

"예, 우리는 내 사랑, 그것을했다," replied Lady, smiling.  
Finn opened his eyes, looking up at the blue sky above. He heard the voices of his friends and knew they had succeeded. He smiled as Flame Princess knelt over him.

"We won," she murmured, a smile spreading across her face. Finn smiled back.

"We did," he murmured in response. He sat up. The Life Giver was watching as the last of the devastation was repaired. He turned to face them when he heard them getting to their feet.

"You showed bravery beyond expectations," he said, "I commend you all for seeking me out when you needed my power and for lending me your power at the crucial moment. As thanks, you may all have a wish." He smiled, "I can see all your deepest desires as plain as day. You do not have to ask. You first, Finn the Human. Hold out your hands." Finn did as he was told. He gasped as a sword materialised on his palms. It had a brilliant gold hilt with a sapphire set in the pommel. The blade was long and gleamed in the morning sun.

"For you, Flame Princess, you long to kiss and hold your love without causing him pain," continued the Life Giver, "I will now grant you this ability. Go on." He smiled. Slowly Flame Princess rested her hand on Finn's face. He blushed but nothing more happened. She leant forwards and kissed him. The kiss burned but only with passion. Finn smiled; glad to be able to hold his love like he had longed to for so long.

"Jake, I understand that you and Finn are without a home," said the Life Giver.

"That's right," replied Jake sadly, "The Life Taker destroyed it."

"Do not feel sorrow," said the Life Giver, "For your wish, your home will be restored. It will be there when you return."

"Wow, thanks dude," beamed Jake, "Ya hear that PB, Marcy, we won't have to bug you guys at your place anymore." Princess Bubblegum laughed.

"Jake, you never bugged us," she smiled.

"Absolutely not, dude," added Marceline.

"Lady Rainicorn, your wish is a special one, I understand," continued the Life Giver. There was a flash of light and a ring appeared on Lady's hoof. She gazed at it in, tears of happiness springing to her eyes.

"감사합니다!" she cried, "당신을 순전히 감사하십시오."

"천만에요," replied the Life Giver, bowing his head, "Now, Princess Bubblegum and Marceline." He turned to face the two monarchs, "I have two rather special wishes in store for you. But you will have to wait to see what they are. Call it a nice surprise." He looked up at the sky.

"Now, my friends, I must depart," he said, "Are you coming, Beaverel?" he asked, addressing the beaver-squirrel who was now in his usual place on Marceline's shoulder. He climbed slowly down her arm and sat on the grass. He looked at the Life Giver before looking back at the two monarchs.

"Do you wish to stay?" asked the Life Giver. The Beaverel looked over his shoulder at them once more. "Then stay," continued the Life Giver, giving the Beaverel a warm smile, "You have found a new place to belong. Somewhere that will make you happy. Go with my blessing, little one." The Beaverel chittered happily, darting back up onto Marceline's shoulder and watching as the Life Giver created a portal of light like the one they came through earlier.

"Farewell," he said, smiling over his shoulder, "And Marceline, take good care of your Princess." With that he stepped through the portal and vanished.

"I wonder what he meant by that," Marceline wondered aloud.

"I have a feeling we'll find out in time," replied Princess Bubblegum, gazing up at the Vampire Queen.


	20. Epilogue

There were jubilant celebrations upon their return to the Candy Kingdom. Over the course of the day they were each asked to recount their tale more times than they could count. They asked many questions, most of them concerning the Life Giver and asking what his world was like. They patiently answered their questions and retold the story as many times as was needed. The Beaverel attracted a great deal of interest and he seemed to like the attention he was getting from the Candy People.

As night fell a grand banquet was held in their honour, naming them the Heroes of Ooo. The food was plentiful and the strawberry mead flowed freely. Songs were sung, jokes were told and music was played. The Candy Kingdom had not had such reason to rejoice for a while as they did now. They gathered outside as fireworks were let off in the Square, earning gasps of wonder from the awed onlookers.

At last it was time to say goodnight. Finn and Jake left for the newly restored Treefort with BMO. Jake hadn't realised until now just how much he had missed his own home and his own bed. They reached the Treefort and opened the door. Everything was exactly as it had been before the Life Taker had destroyed it. All the furniture was back in its rightful place. The photos of Finn, Jake, Lady and BMO were back on the mantelpiece and they raced upstairs to the upper levels, re-exploring every room and corridor. At last they flopped down on their beds, exhausted after their travels.

"It's good to be home," smiled Finn. He was wrapped up in his sleeping bag, looking drowsy.

"You said it," replied BMO from his usual place on the coffee table, "Goodnight Finn, Jake."

"Goodnight BMO," said Jake, "Goodnight Finn."

"Yeah, goodnight BMO, Jake." Jake switched off the light and before long they were fast asleep.

"Aaah, it's good to be back in our own bed," sighed Marceline, sinking down onto the mattress, her hair spreading out like a fan beneath her. Princess Bubblegum smiled.

"Agreed," she replied, pulling a grey T-shirt over her head. It had a red no smoking symbol on the front. She sank down next to the Vampire Queen, nestling close to her as Marceline put her arms around her Princess. She giggled as Marceline kissed her neck lovingly.

"C'mon Mar-Mar," she smiled, "I'm tired tonight. We've been through a lot so we should get some sleep." Marceline smiled.

"Alright, Bon-Bon," she murmured, yawning, "You're right. I'm pretty tired too." Princess Bubblegum nestled her head in under Marceline's chin.

"I wonder what our wishes will be," she said drowsily.

"Haha, what was that about you wanting to get some sleep?" asked Marceline. The Beaverel was curled up at the foot of the bed, ears twitching in his sleep as the two tired monarchs talked.

"Alright, alright," whined Princess Bubblegum. Marceline smiled fondly, stroking her hair as the Princess drifted off to sleep. A moment later she too gave up the battle to stay awake and rested her chin on the Princess' hair, snoring softly.


End file.
